Unbidden
by MinnKota
Summary: Only in their dreams can some men be free. What does Severus Snape dream? And what would he endure to make it a reality?
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Notes:** To enjoy this story, you will need to take on the assumption that everything has played itself out with Severus turning out to be a good guy. Of course he is! Voldemort has been permanently smacked down, and the good guys win. So, suspend that disbelief and join me in a place where someone who is flawed, but redeemable (just as we all are) finally meets his match._

_As you read, you will notice that I find it interesting to see characters taken out of their comfort zone and see how they react in unfamiliar circumstances. I am interested in growth and change. You have been given fair warning. You may get a toothache on this ride._

_This story was written after the release of HBP and may not correlate with the events of the seventh novel._

_**Disclaimer:** Everything submitted here was done so for the sole purpose of my entertainment and hopefully, the enjoyment of any readers. No money was, is or will be made for this fictional work, and_ _no copyright or trademark infringement is intended._

_**Credit:** The fate of Snape's parents is used through the gracious permission of Holly Ilex, and is featured in her story, What Goes Around, Comes Around, Lost and Found Love._

_Sincere thanks go to my long-time friend, Vitraille, and my new friend, Holly Ilex, for their extensive help and beta-reading. I would also like to thank WhiteRaven and Soignante for their encouragement thus far. Truly, my cup runneth over._

_**Soundtrack: **You will notice soundtrack entries at the ends of some of the chapters. These are songs that I felt in some way went along with the action of the story, character motivations, inner dialogue, etc. They vary from character to character depending on the chapter, and I will warn you now that they vary greatly in style and genre. Music is a strong motivator for me, and I hope you will enjoy them._

* * *

**unbidden**

a jagged shard of ice on a pedestal sitting in an perpetual, tortured night  
calls out silently, fruitlessly to an empty room, futility in action  
the slight force of its frigid breath stirs the air with the revolutionary power of butterfly wings  
cracking the door to the outside world

warmth seeps in, unbidden, smoothing the rough edges

water drips and pools, running in rivulets toward the light outside the door, curious, hopeful  
a firefly buzzes and tempts hovering just outside the door, determined, thirsty  
its flame, just out of reach, inadvertently warms the water  
teasing, damning?, redeeming?

more droplets flow, abandoning the pedestal prison to join their brothers in the light  
risking all, bravely changing form but retaining their essence

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Green leaves fluttered on their branches in the breeze, warm and lush. Water lapped lovingly onto the pebbles at the edge of the lake as energetic birds offered their song for anyone willing to listen on that placid, Sunday afternoon. It was early August, and the students weren't due back for another few weeks to begin the new term. While Severus was thankful for the quiet summer afforded him, restlessness prompted him to take a walk by the lake for a dose of fresh air. Pausing along the shore, Severus meticulously scanned the banks as far as he could see, while maintaining an uninterested façade for any potential onlookers. But no one watched. He was alone, as usual.

Professor Severus Snape was rather like Ebenezer Scrooge. As solitary as an oyster. Luckily, he grew to somewhat enjoy his self-imposed isolation. His choices and in turn, his duties, left him no other option; as a double agent, he could not risk truly becoming close to anyone. It was for their own safety as the Dark Lord would have thought nothing of destroying someone to punish Severus when his true allegiance was discovered. He would not allow himself to put anyone else in that kind of danger.

Severus was relieved when the war was over and the uproar and ceremony died down. The endless inquiries from the Ministry and the magical press had danced on his last nerve. He wanted quiet, time to rest, time to think. He had earned it. For years, he basked in his newfound freedom, trying to clear his mind and put to rest the torment of his past. Returning to Hogwarts, Severus began to rediscover what he loved about his post as Potions Master. It was not the students; with the exception of his house members and those with extraordinary potions abilities, students were the bane of his existence. (Although, he would gladly deal with them rather than the Dark Lord.) What drew him to his work was the solace and the sly genius of potions themselves. The unique properties of the ingredients combining to bring about the desired results had always fascinated him. There was power in the ability to produce change. A myriad of combinations and cures laid in wait for discovery, and they were all at his fingertips.

The few people who knew the real truth about the Potions Master and his past hoped to see his hard exterior soften somewhat as time passed. Severus, however, remained outwardly just as he always was, and his success at keeping up his usual façade left them with the impression that his heart was made of stone, immutable.

What they didn't know was that he _had_ changed on the inside, even though he did his best to deny it. He could feel it. Like water constantly running over a stone, Severus was altered as time passed. Something inside him began to unclench, but his years of solitude hadn't equipped him with any way to show it. He had no clue how to handle it or what exactly to do about it, and he had no idea how to let go of his cold façade or even a good reason to take such a risk.

For years, Severus' life consisted of unthinkable darkness, enduring things that made nightmares real. In truth, Severus thought that he lost his soul long ago, and without a soul, he never even dared to hope of finding peace. On that restless Sunday afternoon, Severus thought stretching his legs would do the trick to cure what ailed him, but he was wrong. He'd had a lot on his mind recently; a shadowed emptiness grew inside him, and he could no longer ignore it.

Pushing things aside had worked for many years, but now he couldn't suppress the feeling that something was wrong, missing. There had to be more than his current existence to fill the void within.

More frustrated and confused than ever, he walked back to the castle. Climbing the steps, he knew what he needed to do. Severus hated asking for help, but if there was one person who could help him, it was Albus Dumbledore. He went to his favorite portrait of him, just outside the Great Hall, and found Albus, snoring lightly, napping in the large chair in the background.

After surveying the area to make sure there were no witnesses, Severus cleared his throat. Albus looked up from his chair inside the enchanted portrait to see Severus standing before him, and he knew the time had come.

"Good afternoon. It must be something important, indeed, to bring you to see me looking so distressed," said the former Headmaster.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, Severus, I believe you do. I wondered when you would come to me about this."

"About what, exactly?" he asked, trying to hide his irritation at Albus' ever-present intuition.

"There's no need to play coy. You've been increasingly unsettled these past few months, and I knew you would come for advice when you were ready. You may want to conjure a chair, Severus, as I have much to tell you. I'm glad the time has finally come."

Severus arched an eyebrow in response.

"You have a challenge ahead of you. Sort of a quest, actually."

Severus listened, his arms crossed at his chest and his brow tense with concentration and annoyance, unsure of what to expect.

"There is someone you need to find. I know you have seen her in your dreams, Severus. You know of whom I speak. You have seen her over and over in the same dream since you were a boy. I've seen it in the Pensieve."

Severus tried to look puzzled for a moment, but Albus saw the light of recognition in his eyes.

Severus shot him a skeptical look. "You cannot mean the woman standing by the water."

"You _do_ remember." Albus smiled softly and nodded his head. "Didn't you ever wonder why you dreamed of her over and over through the years?"

"I never gave it much thought, actually," he lied.

"I figured as much. You had more dire concerns, and you didn't have time to watch for the signs."

"Pardon?"

"Signs. When you're unsure of your path, you should always look for them. They will lead you in the right direction."

"How very _poetic_," Severus sneered, trying to hide his apprehension and suppress the bile rising in this throat.

"I know you have doubts, but this woman has information that will lead you toward what you seek. Be skeptical all you want, Severus, but at least give it a chance. Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

Internally, Severus bowed his head, ashamed of openly doubting the one person he truly trusted. Externally, he behaved quite differently.

"Well, no, except for the time you asked me to _end your life_," Severus snapped.

"Quit pouting, Severus. Do you want to know peace? Feel whole for once in your life? If so, then you _may_ want to follow my instructions."

Severus knew when he was defeated, but it did not keep him from being petulant. "Very well. How do I go about finding _this woman_?" His voice carried all the bitterness of a man without a country.

Albus smiled warmly and simply said, "Her name is Leah. Leah Manning."

Then, something surprising happened. Deep inside, in a tiny, dark, cobwebbed corner of his soul, Severus could hear himself repeating the name softly, like a child praying in the night. He immediately squashed the hopeful feeling it gave him. It was strange and uncomfortable, and he didn't know where it came from or how to process it.

Albus felt his heart clench with joy, as he could hear Severus' thoughts; he was worried that the years of solitude and duty had taken too much of a toll, and he was glad to see that the longing was still there to find the woman from his dream.

Albus saw that same longing years before in the Pensieve, and it wasn't long after that he saw the person who could fulfill Severus' need. He simply had to wait until the time was right to present him with the information. As with most things, timing was paramount.

The former Headmaster knew that Leah would be a temptation as well as a challenge for his friend; someone to compliment his strengths and weaknesses, who needed Severus as much as he needed her, someone with talents lying dormant within her. All Severus had to do was remove the broomstick from his arse and swim with the current. Unfortunately, that in itself was a rather Herculean task.

These thoughts passed quickly, and for a moment, he was worried that Severus had seen the twinkle in his eye, but if he had, he said nothing of it. Albus continued to speak, telling his friend everything he would need to know to begin his journey. His instructions were quite specific.

_**Soundtrack Entry #1 – Isaac – Madonna**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Severus slept soundly that night, aware of his instructions and prepared to begin his journey in the morning. As he slept, the dream that Albus spoke of descended once again.

_He was aware of a warm, soft breeze in the night as he leaned against a tree at the edge of a lake. He looked down to see a small piling of gray rocks along the edge of the water, separating it from the grass where he stood. Looking out, he saw a woman standing on the floating platform of a dock. She was simply standing there wrapped in something. It was thick, like a towel, because he couldn't see the outline of her body through it, despite his best efforts. Her back was to him, so he couldn't see her face or the color of her hair, as it was wet. She must have been swimming. _

But this time, the dream was different, longer than normal. Usually all she did was stand there on the dock with the breeze and the sound of the water lapping onto the rocks. She now did something new and unexpected.

_The woman turned and looked to see if anyone else was around. Finding no one, she slowly, and very quietly at first, began to sing. The song she sang was simple, but rich and full of emotion, almost pleading. Despite her lack of vocal talent, the tone of her voice was intriguing, hopeful, yet bashful and unsure, like she half expected her plea to be refused. He could easily hear her and make out the words she sang as the water carried the sound to him._

_Come away with me in the night  
Come away with me  
And I will write you a song_

_Come away with me on a bus  
Come away where they can't tempt us with their lies_

_I want to walk with you on a cloudy day  
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high  
So won't you try to come_

_Come away with me and we'll kiss  
On a mountaintop  
Come away with me and I'll never stop loving you_

_And I want to wake up with rain falling on a tin roof  
While I'm safe there in your arms  
So all I'll ask is for you  
To come away with me in the night  
Come away with me_

_Watching her was like a slow dance. Even though Severus could not see her face or hold her in his arms, he felt her just the same. The combination of her curves and her seemingly opportunistic nature called to something inside him, and by the time she was finished, their slow dance became a sweet, slow burn._

_She finished her song and wiped away a few tears with delicate fingers. Turning, she began to walk slowly back up the dock to the grass, and as she did, he caught a glimpse of her face. She was deliciously fair, like him, so fair that her pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. With her blue eyes shining brightly like an animal's, she paused for a moment, looking in his direction. Severus unconsciously held his breath as he waited. Did she see him? Sadly, no. She sighed heavily and walked toward the large gray house ahead of her._

When Severus opened his eyes, he felt something warm on his cheek, a single tear. He wiped it away as quickly as he could, as if destroying the evidence would have made him less guilty. He couldn't remember the last time something had moved him to tears, and he hated to show such weakness, even to himself. Still, the dream had piqued his curiosity.

Severus knew he would need to muster all of his strength if he was going to rise to the challenge. His annoyance level reached a new high when Albus told him that he would have to travel and work amongst Muggles. And in America, no less! This would definitely be a test of his will, as he had precious, little patience for Muggles and their ways. But deep inside himself, in that place that hopefully repeated Leah's name, Severus knew he could not deny that he wanted what Albus dangled temptingly before him. Exactly _what_ was being dangled wasn't clear, but Severus heard it whispering to him just the same.

Severus awoke the next morning and packed his things, including his wand. Even if he had to try and blend in with the Muggles and their absurd ways, he would not leave everything behind.

After scanning his room one last time to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he was ready to say his farewell to Albus. Exiting his bed chamber, he nearly tripped over a parcel laying in the floor. It was wrapped in brown paper and twine with a note attached.

**Albus asked me to leave this for you to find. He said you would need it where you were going. Godspeed on your journey. –Minerva **

_'Wonderful. Now she's in on this, too! That's all I need is for this to get out. I'd never live it down,'_ he thought to himself.

Severus carried the parcel under his arm and made his way to the portrait with his things. Albus was waiting for him as he approached and noticed the parcel.

"Ah, I see Minerva was able to get it to you in time."

"Yes, I'll open it once my journey gets underway. Anything I should know before opening it?" Severus asked, all business.

"No, it's nothing dangerous. You have our Mr. Potter to thank for the use of it," Albus said as Severus rolled his eyes. "He left it here with Minerva for safe keeping, and it should definitely come in handy."

"So, Minerva is in on this as well?" Albus saw the concern in his eyes as he spoke.

"Not to worry, Severus. You will not be laughed at. I only told her last night as I found it necessary, and I've sworn her to secrecy. You know she would never betray you. In the end, you will be grateful for her help in this affair. She cares about you and wants to see you happy just as much as I do."

Severus tried not to roll his eyes again and changed the subject by asking if he was able to find someone to cover for his classes should he not return in time for the start of the term. Albus assured him it was taken care of, and they said their goodbyes.

As Severus walked away, Albus thought it rather charming how excited and nervous his friend was, even though he tried to hide it. He wondered about many things. How would Severus react when he saw Leah? Would he have the patience to follow this task to its conclusion? How would he recognize his friend without that constant scowl on his face? That last thought made Albus smile as he settled back into his chair.

Severus was instructed by Albus to travel Muggle style, since he would need to refresh himself on the ins and outs of their society for his task. He would need to know how to blend in if he was to win her trust and learn whatever it was she knew; that thought in particular gave him a bit of concern, as it would take more patience than he usually possessed.

He acquired some Muggle clothing, all black of course, and had his ticket in hand for the plane ride. Making his way through Gatwick Airport, he realized that for the first time, if only for the smallest moment, he was tolerating Muggles and even some of their strange ways. He didn't have to interact with them forever, but acceptance was beginning to blossom. And that, for Severus, was a huge step, as he was typically not of a very tolerant nature. This new attitude worried him, and he squashed it as quickly as possible.

He boarded the plane, settling into his seat in first class. _'I can't believe how long I'm going to have to be trapped here with these people. This is ridiculous.'_ Severus decided to have a glass of the champagne that the uniformed woman was offering. _'Maybe if I drink enough, I can sleep through this.'_ He studied his surroundings and noticed how most of the passengers tried their best not to talk with anyone else unless they had to. That, he liked.

He heard the couple behind him talking and laughing quietly. Eavesdropping, Severus learned that they were on their honeymoon. He heard the affection in their voices as they spoke to each other and the sound of them kissing softly. _'Get a room,'_ he thought as he rolled his eyes and ground his teeth in exasperation. Then, without warning, he heard them say the three words he feared most. I love you.

Severus had a large vocabulary; he could name many things, magical and Muggle. He knew harsh words and kind words (even though he rarely used them). He knew curses, spells and enchantments that could do great and terrible things, but those three words seemed to bring him low. They told the truth and shamed the devil. For the better part of his life, Severus hated and feared those words because no one had said them to him since he was a child, since he lost his parents. They reminded him of everything he didn't have and what he was scared he would never find.

But hope is indeed a thing with feathers, and when he overheard the honeymooners' sweet confessions, Severus didn't block them out as he usually did. For the first time since he was a child, he listened…and hoped.

Severus realized what was happening inside him and, again, wasn't sure what to do about it. He felt control slipping away as he realized he was no longer scowling. He quickly put on the headphones at his seat, tuned into some classical music and picked up the Muggle magazine in front of him. He took any distraction he could find for the remainder of the flight, anything so that he didn't have to listen to the happy couple behind him. If he couldn't block them out, he knew he would dissolve into a blithering idiot by the time the plane landed.

**Soundtrack Entry #2 – Come Away With Me – Norah Jones**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Leah who lived in a kingdom by the sea. Her life was a well-oiled machine, everything she had hoped and worked for. She had a wonderful family, caring friends and a good job. She woke up every morning in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Charleston, SC. Her love life was even in order; she and her handsome fiancé, Will Fournier, were about to set a wedding date. Surely, she would live happily ever after.

Yeah, right.

Leah Manning's life sounded like a fairy tale to her, too – a fairy tale that she had outgrown somewhere along the line, because lately, it was losing its charm. She couldn't explain why, she couldn't put her finger on it. That was the hard part; she heard a little voice in her head saying that something was horribly wrong, but did her best not to listen.

Leah was a person who knew her own mind, or at least she thought she did. However, the tricky part about life is that what people _want _is not always what they _need_; because if Leah was getting what she needed, she wouldn't have had doubt gnawing at her night and day. She wouldn't look at herself in the mirror each morning and feel like she was chasing someone else's life.

She always felt like she had some hidden talent, lying there at the ready, just awaiting its opportunity to shine. Actually, it was more like hope. Leah always _hoped_ she had a hidden talent, something that would make her special. She was a person who was moderately good at most things, but not really great at any one thing. Jack of all trades and master of none, insufferably average, the queen of mediocrity, so to speak. She tried her hand at lots of things, and most days she was losing hope of uncovering her special gift, her salvation.

Leah wasn't a Super Christian or anything like that, but she believed there was a higher power directing things. God, Allah, the Invisible Divine, whatever. She also believed that there was a plan, a design to everyone's life. In her mind, the threads of fate came seamlessly together to weave the grand tapestry of destiny. The key to following those blessed threads was to look for and follow the signs. Leah trained and convinced herself that they were the key to the universe. She taught herself at an early age to hear that whisper on the wind that most people ignore and pay attention to the precious, little details of life.

Although there are times when the devil is not in the details, he's big as life, staring you smack in the face when you've missed all the signs…like the night she was attacked walking to her car.

Leah stayed late at work that Monday evening to finish stuffing a large mailing that had to go out the next day. As the Operations Manager at the Jasmine Courtyard Hotel, a large part of her job consisted of "other duties as assigned". This particular duty was extremely tedious, and Leah was desperate to get it off of her desk.

After turning off the lamps in her office, she strolled through the quiet lobby and out the doors toward the parking garage. The hotel was situated on the edge of the College of Charleston campus, and since it was only about 10:30, a fair number of people were still out and about, a mix of visitors to the city and college students who stayed for the summer. Leah, herself, worked at the hotel as a student all through college, moving up through the ranks to her current position.

It was early July, and as Leah stepped outside, she felt the wave of humidity wash over her. She crossed the street to the parking garage and climbed the stairs to her car on level five. Leah's mind was racing as she walked, hoping she would be able to conquer her doubts about her chosen path.

'_Probably just cold feet'_, she thought, _'everyone gets cold feet.' _She recited the one mantra of late that was able to steady her. _'Mrs. Fournier'_ Yes, that had a nice ring to it.

The elevator was out of order and it was a hike up the steps, but she made it and headed to her faithful blue Saturn. Bonnie Blue Butler, Leah called her. The name was a nod to one of her favorite movies.

Just as she got to the car and had the keys in her hand unlocking the door, she heard something behind her. The next thing Leah knew, there was a strong arm around her throat and the most vile sound she ever heard in her ear. It was a eager, mocking voice saying, "Hey there, pretty lady."

Leah felt the fingers of his hot breath on her neck as he talked, and it made her skin crawl. Her own breath hitched in her throat, and for a moment, Leah was paralyzed. An outraged voice in her head screamed, _'That's it, you're dead. He's going to rape and kill you right here. Just when everything was falling into place. How could you be so stupid? It's late and you should have had your guard up and been more aware!'_

She heard him saying something about being a good girl and doing as she was told. _'Sweet Jesus! Is this really happening?'_

Yet Leah was strangely peaceful about her untimely end as a calm descended. She felt uncharacteristically resigned to her fate. _'How could that be if everything is going so well?'_ She knew that she should have been more upset.

'_So my job isn't the most interesting? It's a good living at a good company. So I intercepted that suspicious e-mail of Will's the other day? Even if I don't know who Chris is, that doesn't mean that he's cheating. Maybe Chris is a man and not a woman...Oh shit! What if Chris _is_ a man? And Will is cheating with _him_!'_

Leah told herself to calm down. That last part was just plain ridiculous. And then there was the hidden talent she would never be able to find if she was dead. Leah knew that she would never be special without it, and oddly enough, she felt more loss for this than anything else.

It amazed her how quickly these thoughts formed. In a split second, she began to doubt everything she forced herself to believe in; she was outside of herself, a mere spectator to her life now. Her mind was incredibly clear for such a traumatic moment.

Suddenly, the truth hit her, blinding her with its simplicity, and Leah realized that she wasn't nearly as happy as she thought.

Just as Leah felt her attacker's other arm coming around her waist, anger swelled inside her, anger at him for attacking her, anger at Will for making her doubt him, anger at her stupid choices and anger at herself for being in this situation.

Luckily, Leah's anger reached critical mass at that moment, and she found a hidden reserve of strength. She wasn't sure where it came from, but this was not the time for self-analysis. The whoopass had escaped its can.

Leah stomped on the top of his right foot with the high heel of her sandal, and his grip loosened on her neck. She took the opportunity to push him backward and spin around enough to knee him in the family jewels, causing him to lurch forward and bend over, grabbing himself in agony.

Leah was suddenly on fire with the power she felt, and she gave him her best tae bo kick, knocking him to the ground. He fell back far enough for her to grab the unlocked door handle and jump inside the safety of her car.

As Leah leapt into her seat, she felt her car keys still clenched in her right hand and her purse on her shoulder. She locked the doors and cranked up the car, nearly backing over her attacker who was just regaining enough strength to come to his knees. She flew down the ramps of the parking garage and told the attendant to call the police for her attacker recovering on level five. The attendant said something Leah didn't listen to as she stomped on the gas pedal and fled as quickly as possible.

Barreling over the bridge, it occurred to her that she should have stayed around and waited for the police. Leah didn't really care at that point. She was still in shock that she had been attacked, that she had kicked his ass and gotten away, that her life wasn't nearly as rosy as she thought it was.

Leah felt incredibly stupid and berated herself as she drove home. '_Cold feet?' _It was much more than that, and deep down, she knew it all along.

She ran inside her house, locked the door behind her and leaned back against it. Safe and alone, Leah felt the tears come as her body was wracked with sobs, and she slid down onto the floor.

She cried for all that was lost, her sense of security, her illusions about her life and her choices, her confidence. But some of the tears were thankful for all that she gained, the courage to fight, the shattered illusions of her life, and possibly the courage to fix it all – to stare down the barrel of consequence and make a life she wanted to live. Most of all, Leah was grateful for the chance to find what she was now sure lay dormant within her, her special gift.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

After a long cry and more than a few cleansing breaths, Leah found her way up from the floor. She left her bag and keys and marched straight to the shower. Her cell phone rang as she turned on the water. At that point Leah didn't care who it was and chose to ignore it; she wasn't ready to talk to anyone yet. She switched on the radio to drown it out.

Leah stood in the shower for a good 20 minutes letting the hot water beat down onto her, hopefully washing her clean. Tears came once again when she heard a familiar song floating in the air. Leah began to sway as she noticed herself singing out loud like a prayer.

She sang louder, nearly shouting the lyrics over and over, praying more fervently for help. Leah asked for a sign of encouragement, any sign, and she swore she would pay attention this time.

Exhausted, she composed herself and stepped out of the shower. After Leah put on her favorite old Rocky Horror Picture Show t-shirt, she turned off the radio and the lights and burrowed into the shelter of her bed. The soft sheets and heavenly layers of cover never felt better. She rolled to her side and found a cool spot of pillow; it felt wonderful on her face, still hot from the shower and all the crying. Leah's eyes closed, and before she could begin to cry again, sleep took her.

_She was at an elegant party of some sort in a large room full of people mingling and enjoying themselves. Men were dressed in tuxedos and ladies in cocktail dresses. There were several people in line at the bar that she could see in the corner. Others were talking and laughing, gathered around the tall cocktail tables scattered about the room._

_As she was looking around, she noticed someone out of the corner of her eye. He was standing alone and had the look of a predator seeking out its prey. She walked over to a nearby table to reposition herself and get a better look at him; he was dressed in black from head to toe, even his hair was black. It looked to be about shoulder length and was tied back at the nape of his neck. His skin was fair like hers and he had elegant hands with long, slender fingers. They looked like a musician's hands to her, and each of them held a glass of champagne._

_He turned slightly and she was able to get a good look at his face; his features were sharp to say the least. As he scanned the room, he wore a tense look of concentration, almost a scowl. Just as she was wondering what weight he could possibly carry to look so serious, he slowly and deliberately turned his face to her and looked her straight in the eyes. She decided not to look away as she didn't want to hide from him. She didn't want to act like she had just been caught staring at him, even though that was exactly what was happening. _

_Looking at her, his face softened a bit, and a sly ghost of a smile played at the corners of his lips. His left eyebrow arched, questioning her, but she held her ground and gave him the same look back, questioning him. She saw a mischievous light in his eyes just before he gave her a slow nod, bowing his head toward her. She held steady and he began to walk toward her. He reached out his hand to offer her one of the glasses of champagne._

Leah realized she was awake, and looking at the clock, she saw that it was 2:30am. _'That dream again?'_, she thought to herself. _'I wonder what brought that on?'_

She frequently had the dream and knew every detail by heart; he was the dark horse she was never able to find. Leah was always attracted to men like that, dark, mysterious, bold Too bad she couldn't find any.

She checked out the Goth scene and the bad boys, but they were all just that – boys. What Leah needed was a _man_, someone who could handle her temper and her passion, someone smart and resourceful, someone who didn't need to shout because he could captivate her with a whisper, not a master and not a slave. An equal. She ached for her dark horse now more than ever.

At this point Leah realized she was sitting up in bed, wide awake. She got up and looked to see if anything was in her CD player. Finding her Norah Jones CD, she turned it on, figuring that it was mellow enough to calm her down and maybe even get her to sleep again. She laid quietly listening, and by the time "Come Away With Me" came on, she was peaceful.

Leah listened to the honest beauty of the song and its lyrics as she drifted off. _'If only things were that simple'_, she thought to herself.

_There she was again, at the party, the same man standing across from her as always. But this time the scene seemed to pick up from where it always left off. Her dark horse was compelling, Goth for sure, tall, lean, intense. Looking up at him, she could see the offer in his eyes, and took the glass of champagne from him. "Looking for someone?" she inquired. He leaned forward as he put his glass on the table behind her. Straightening back up to full height, his face only inches from hers, he leaned in close and said, "Just you." His voice was rich and hypnotic as it caressed her ear. Pure black magic._

She was awake again. _'Now, that _has_ to be a sign!'_ Leah thought of her dark horse as she drifted back off into sleep.

At 7:23am, Leah crawled out of bed and got ready for work. She made it in a little late, but considering what she endured the night before, she couldn't have cared less. She said nothing of her attack to anyone and got settled at her desk. Looking at the missed calls on her cell phone, Leah realized it was time to call Will back, as there were several from him. She got his voice mail and decided not to leave a message.

Leah really wished her boss, James, was not out at a meeting. He was the one person she would have told about the attack. She had been close friends with him for years and needed to talk with him now more than ever; it made no difference that she reported to him. Keeping work and friendship separate had never been a problem for them. James would be back at work tomorrow, and Leah reminded herself to be patient.

At lunch, she walked to the park to clear her head and thought, '_God, it's hotter than two bats screwing in a wool sock out here_._'_ (Charleston had four seasons – hot, hotter, hot and Christmas.) With a little distance between her and the previous night's events, she felt more calm and focused about her situation. Now, she just had to figure out what to do. Leah decided to surprise Will after work at his place and they would talk. An ambush, that was the first step.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Despite the fact that she was a little sore from pulling the "Charlie's Angels" last night, she wasn't feeling too many after effects. It was creepy for sure walking to and from her car, but there was nothing to be done about it. She simply had to get used to it, keep her guard up and learn to overcome her fear. Common sense always offered its own special kind of comfort.

Pulling up at Will's apartment that afternoon, Leah noticed his car parked in its usual spot. _'Good'_, she thought, _'no escape.'_ Climbing the stairs, she heard a door opening and Will's voice drifting out. She stopped in the stairwell to listen and heard another voice, too quiet to make out.

Silently, she crept to the top of the steps and peered around the corner toward Will's door. And that was when Leah saw it. She didn't know if she would ever be able to get that picture out of her head as long as she lived.

As she peeked around the corner, she saw Will in a man's arms. They were embracing quite sweetly, kissing each other goodbye.

The man walked past her down the steps and Leah found the contents of her purse suddenly fascinating. _'Chris, was it?'_ Once he was gone, she sat down on the steps and cried softly, shaking her head.

Her cell phone rang in her purse, and looking at the caller ID, Leah realized it was Will. She stood up, took a cleansing breath and marched toward his door, mustering all the strength she could. He opened the door, took one look at her, and knew what happened. The look on his face seemed to say it all. Busted.

He tried to explain, but launched into apologetic babbling instead. He was so sorry…he never meant for this to happen…didn't she know that he would never deliberately hurt her?...blah, blah, blah.

Leah didn't know what happened inside, but she put on her "never let 'em see you sweat" façade, probably because she could hear her mother's voice inside her head saying it. Leah appeared composed, but inside, she was collapsing.

After talking, they agreed that it was over. Leah promised not to "out" him as he wanted to do it his own way. She decided to let him keep a shred of self respect and offered up the "we grew apart" story. That was what they would tell everyone. Leah had no idea how she was able to be so kind. If she hadn't been emotionally weakened from her attack and her epiphany the night before, she would have torn his still-beating heart from his chest with her bare hands.

When she got home that evening, the anger set in. Leah got hysterical…and violent. At least her dishes thought so, as she broke nearly all of them in a fit that night. She couldn't believe the hand life had dealt her. She thought that everything was falling into place, when in fact, it was falling apart. That was when Leah began to look back and see the signs, the warnings she was given, and she saw the price she paid for ignoring them.

**Soundtrack Entry #3 – Bring Me To Life – Evanescence**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Severus fought his way through the bustling airport as he switched planes in Atlanta, Georgia and boarded the smaller one that would take him to his final destination - Charleston, South Carolina. Just as Albus indicated, his host met him at the airport.

After making it past security, he saw a man fitting the description he was given, a tall gentleman with silver hair, bright eyes and a welcoming smile.

"You must be Severus," the stranger said as he extended his hand.

"Yes." He shook the man's hand as he introduced himself.

"James Parson. Welcome to Charleston, I've been eager to meet you. You are just as Albus described."

"Am I? And what was his description?"

"Tall, dark and mysterious," James said with a raised eyebrow, "wearing all black. You have to admit, you do stand out from your fellow travelers."

Severus looked around and had no choice but to nod in agreement. After claiming the luggage, they proceeded to James' car, an older model Mercedes. It was silver and seemed absurd to Severus, who tried to hide his usual disdainful expression out of politeness. He wasn't successful.

_'What a stiff! This is going to be a rough one'_, James thought to himself, mentally rolling up his sleeves.

Severus noticed that everything outside was green and flat, with bodies of water sprinkled in here and there. Ever the gracious host, James played tour guide on the way to the house while Severus sat in silence. James told him about Charleston's history, the Civil War, shrimp and grits, interesting things to see and do, you name it. Severus listened as politely as possible, and as soon he was able to get a word in, Severus asked James how he knew Albus.

"I have some relatives in England who are magical folk. I sometimes visit in the summer and met Albus through them some years back. He and my Uncle Edward were old friends from school," James explained as they pulled up at his house.

James lived downtown in the older part of the city in a handsome brick house. Severus could see vines with small white flowers climbing up the side on a trellis in the garden. The house seemed rather large for one person, but Severus thought it would be luxurious to have so much space all to one's self.

He was pulled from these thoughts when he heard James speak. "You must be hungry and tired from your trip. Let's get your things inside, and we'll go get some dinner."

As Severus would soon learn, James Parson was quite possibly the most gracious host anyone could ask for. He was friendly to everyone he met, kind to a fault and the life of any party. And Severus had to agree with Albus; although James was barely older than Severus, his silver hair did give him a dignified and almost regal air. Severus knew that Albus expected him to extend every courtesy to his host. It was a strain for Severus to be anything more than civil with most people, as he found them tedious and exhausting, but he found himself liking James in spite of his predisposition. He remained guarded, but polite.

The two men walked to a small restaurant not too far from the house featuring Lowcountry fare. As they walked, James tried to explain about Southern food, fried chicken, collard greens, grits, Coca-Cola cake, things of that nature. Severus was skeptical, but mildly curious to try them out, since he was starving. His hunger won out over his pettiness.

At dinner, James made polite conversation and kept things light. He knew _much_ more about Severus' visit than Severus did; Albus explained everything in a letter dictated to Minerva McGonagall. Upon receiving the letter, James was nearly giddy with anticipation.

He tried to be subtle while asking Severus questions about the purpose of his visit, playing along with Albus' request that he act uninformed. Severus was tensely polite, but gave away nothing; he intended to keep his secrets and reveal things only when absolutely necessary. James seemed much too interested to be trustworthy.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" James asked.

Severus shook his head and gave James a noncommittal look.

"Well, I would be glad to recommend some things if you are interested in seeing the sights."

James excused himself to the restroom and to snake the check so that his guest couldn't try to pay for dinner. As James walked toward the men's room, Severus couldn't see the luminous smile on his face. They walked home, and once he was sure his guest had everything he needed, James retired for the night.

"Yes," James said under his breath as he turned off the light, "get a good night's sleep. We have much to do in the days ahead."

Severus woke the next morning at 10:14 to the sound of a ringing telephone. James pointed it out the previous evening and made sure Severus knew how to operate it while showing his guest around the house. After stumbling to the telephone, he answered and immediately heard James' voice.

"I hate to wake you, but I'd like you to meet me for lunch. I have something I need to show you," he heard James say through the receiver.

"Very well. Shall I get ready and come meet you at your office?" Severus asked, annoyed.

"Oh, no. Don't trouble yourself. Just be ready at Noon and I'll be there to get you."

Severus hung up and skulked back to his room to get ready. He put on his standard black Muggle-wear and tied his hair back. As he descended the stairs, he thought to himself that James seemed strangely excited about their lunch, and he wondered suspiciously what surprises awaited him.

He sat in the living room scanning the local newspaper and gnawing on the ridiculousness of his current situation. What in God's name was he doing here? Severus Snape could not possibly fathom how he let himself be sherherded into such a pen. He threw down the paper and began to pace, grinding his teeth unconsciously. He was angry. He was bitter. And most of all, he was tired, worn down from the struggle. Life had disappointed him.

Severus heard James' key being inserted into the lock and turned to face the door.

"No please, sit. I have something you need to see," James said.

He sat down, slightly nervous about what he was about to be shown, but that was nothing compared to what he felt when he saw what James had for him. Severus sat on the sofa, stunned. His mouth hung open, but not a sound escaped his lips. It was most unbecoming. He looked over to find James regarding him with a knowing smile.

"I really don't feel like wasting your time, and I am _much_ too impatient to wait on you to thaw. I know that you are here to find Leah, so I thought I would make it easy on you. This is the woman from your dream, right?" James asked.

Severus nodded slowly, looking back down to stare at the picture.

"When she finds out I showed you this picture, she's going to kill me."

James had searched for another picture of her, but the only one he could get his hands on that morning at work was the one of him and Leah at South of the Border, just outside of Dillon, SC. The "attraction" was named for its location, just south of the North Carolina border. It was quite possibly the tackiest spot on earth, and she insisted that they stop and take a picture to commemorate her first time there.

She and James were standing in front of a giant statue of a bandito, smiling at the camera. She wore jeans and a black sweater, and her curly auburn hair was loose and wild, falling well below her shoulders. It was definitely her – Leah.

Severus' first instinct was anger, but to his surprise, it passed as quickly at it came. He found himself grateful to James for not wasting his time. Upon arrival, he was anxious to find this woman and complete his task, but as he looked at the picture, the tempting reality of the situation struck him. She was real.

Severus wore a determined, yet peaceful look. It was the look of a man who had accepted his fate and was resigned to do whatever it required of him. He had to find out what she knew that would help him; yet at the same time, he felt drawn to her for other reasons. Leah was just as lovely as she was in his dream, but in the picture, she was even more so, radiant, full of life and laughter.

Simply seeing her picture, he was hopeful. The woman in his dream was real, tangible. Severus had to see her for himself. Her smile made him feel something he couldn't name, and if Leah could make him feel this alive simply from her picture, she would be worth whatever price had to be paid. But, he was getting ahead of himself. He wasn't here solely after a woman. Was he?

Things clicked into place in his brain, and he mentally smacked himself. _'Damn you, Albus!'_ He couldn't believe that he went along with Albus' pathetically thin scheme. Severus sat silently for a few moments, berating himself eloquently for his gullibility. He was so intrigued by the idea of peace and filling the hole inside himself that he let down his guard and took the bait.

"That's why Albus insisted I stay with you. He said it was 'finally' time. He's had this in the works for years." Severus shook his head in disbelief and frustration.

"Would you like to see her?" James inquired.

His logical mind screamed at him not to fall into Albus' trap, but he could not deny himself, not when he was this close. In spite of his instincts, Severus wanted desperately to make contact with her; unfortunately, his trepidation was palpable. He felt like a schoolboy, and it clawed at his pride. The situation required perfect execution, and to say that he felt unprepared was a gross understatement.

Controlling himself, Severus replied cautiously. "Yes. I need to know that she's real, flesh and bone, but I'm not ready to make myself known to her yet. I know nothing about her, and I need you to tell me everything you can."

"Come with me. We can catch her where she won't see us, and then I'll tell you everything I know."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Weeks flew by, and with all of the trauma and self pity, Leah nearly forgot about her upcoming "girl's week" at her family's vacation house. Her parents bought it when she was in middle school, and the girls came for a week every summer since starting college. Carmen and Dahlia both lived out of town, so the three of them usually just met up at the house.

Carmen lived in DC and worked for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Dahlia lived in Atlanta and was a history professor at Emory University. Leah scheduled this year's get together months in advance and was sorely in need of the escape.

The house was out in the country on the shore of a quiet lake, outside of "town" and somewhat isolated. This was the rural South, where things never changed – a fact that made her love it all the more. It was comforting and dependable, sheltered and exempt from the passage of time.

Leah relished sitting on her dock with close friends on those lush summer nights. The velvet breeze blew quiet and calm, stirring the water and making it lap softly against the pilings and the granite rocks along the shore; bright stars shining above, far away from city lights and traffic lights and burdens of any kind. It was one of the few places where Leah was able to get completely still inside. Things always seemed much clearer to her there.

She lived lifetimes on her dock…long afternoons spent getting sunburned without a care…laughing with friends…skinny dipping in the early morning…watching a storm come across the lake…making out…Leah was even dumped by an old flame sitting on that dock. The memories were thick there, and it was her favorite place in the world.

The lake house itself could best be described as cozy, not too big and not too small. There was a comfortable great room, a workable kitchen, a laundry room, several bathrooms, four bedrooms and a large porch. The girls didn't need all of the space for their small gathering, but it housed Leah and her large family very comfortably many times through the years.

Leah was especially grateful to her parents for the use of the lake house due to the fact that she had no money for a real vacation. Two years prior, she spent every dime she had in the purchase of her own small house in Charleston. She had saved diligently ever since college to scrape together the down payment and never felt more proud than the day she closed escrow. It was a monumental achievement, but that was how she operated. Once fixed on a goal, Leah never took her eyes off the ball. She was incredibly happy in her precious, little house and worked hard to rebuild her savings. She was not about to blow it on a pricey vacation. It was enough of a splurge for Leah to simply be at the lake and do as she pleased.

For their week, the girls always stocked the lake house with sumptuous food and drink, more movies than they could ever watch and champagne for the evening's toasts. Every night before bed, Leah and her friends would sit on either the porch or the dock and drink champagne, making toasts to everything wonderful that happened that day. Maybe something funny in town, like the wedding in the Wal-mart Garden Center they happened onto that time (In her mind, Leah could still see Dahlia jumping for the bouquet with the employees.) or something breathtaking, like the shooting stars they saw from the dock, or something they were truly thankful for, like Johnny Depp. They laid it all out on the table, and this year would be no different. Leah wasn't sure what she would toast to, but she was determined to find something, even if it was a toast to signs yet to come.

Leah didn't know it then, but they were coming. She would soon learn that a mustard seed worth of faith and a little courage are sometimes all that are needed to find Fate's thread. She had no idea then that in an enchanted castle across the sea, the man who would show her the true meaning of magic had only recently learned of her existence. In fact, her dark horse was closer than she could have imagined. She grabbed her bag to head to the park for lunch, sighing dreamily as she thought of him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Another sweltering afternoon. It was August in Charleston, and a wet blanket of humidity hung in the air, keeping everyone moving in slow motion. James and Severus moved as furtively as possible, trying not to draw any attention to themselves. Their destination was a small, shady strip of park along Meeting Street in front of the Second Presbyterian Church. The park, elevated six steps up from the sidewalk, was nestled between two quiet, residential streets, providing many convenient hiding places.

The two men took advantage of the situation and found a spot hidden from almost any view. It was just before one o'clock and they waited, neither one speaking, both lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes (that felt like hours to Severus), their quarry appeared with a small bag over her shoulder, climbing the steps to the park. She wore a black sun dress with small white polka dots.

_'Smart outfit'_, thought James, _'very Donna Reed'_. Her pearl necklace hung lazily along her collarbone, and she fanned herself from her walk in the oppressive heat while she got settled.

James noticed that Severus was watching her, spellbound, as she pulled items from her bag. The first was a towel that she spread on the ground; it was pink and looked to have a large cat's head on it with flowers surrounding it.

"That's Hello Kitty," James said, noticing the strange look on Severus' face.

"Hello Kitty?"

"Yup, it's just something she likes. Leah has all kinds of things with Hello Kitty on them, as you'll soon see. Wait until you see her umbrella." James said, smiling and shaking his head.

"Hmmm," was Severus' only response.

James noticed the deep, rich timbre of Severus' voice. _'She'll be completely defenseless against that. This is almost too perfect.'_

Leah was sitting on her towel, eating away at her sandwich, when she pulled out a book and began to read. The two men were much too far away to be able to gather any details about the subject of the book.

James shook his head gently. "Probably some historical romance…your being British is definitely an asset…and that accent, you definitely have those in your favor. And she'll really be into the Goth thing you've got going on."

"Do you mean Gothic? My style of dress and predisposition toward the 'occult'?"

James nodded. "She's always going on about her dark horse, especially lately. I wasn't sure why until you came to stay with me. It's time. I'm glad she finally saw the light with her fiancé. I was never able to bring myself to tell her that he was very probably gay. She's had a hard couple of weeks adjusting, but now that her dark horse has come for her…" James looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile as he trailed off.

Severus' sharp face softened slightly as he processed the information. "You care for her a great deal."

"Yes, we've been friends for more than ten years now, and Albus was right. She needs you as much as you need her."

_'I do not _need_ her,'_ Severus thought in defiance. He was getting more and more irritated with himself for not being able to look away from her.

Leah began to pack up her things after a quick glance at her watch. She stood, headed for the steps and walked back down the street, completely oblivious to the two men who were studying her every move.

James took Severus back to the house before returning to work for the rest of the afternoon, and once Severus was alone, he sat for a good hour in silence, thinking to himself. Over the years, he endured much and somehow lived to tell the tale. Although no one was interested in hearing it – even now, he was very nearly shunned by both sides, his loyalty ever in question. Of course, keeping his virtues hidden beneath that thickly quilled exterior contributed significantly to his situation, but owning up to things was not one those aforementioned virtues.

But now that he saw Leah for himself, something churned inside him. Not an unpleasant churning, like the kind that sends one to the loo, but a warm blossom of relief, the kind the grass feels when it breaks through the prison of Winter's snow. Perhaps Albus was right, the smug bugger. He usually was, after all. Perhaps all of those lean years were preparing him for something, shaping him into the man Leah desired and deserved. Maybe his endurance was finally paying off.

Now he knew he was losing it. Severus recognized the first symptoms of idiocy and quickly stood to locate James' liquor cabinet.

His quest was postponed when, halfway through the house, he heard the phone ringing. Again, it was James, this time saying that he forgot something earlier in his haste to show Severus the picture.

With James still on the phone, Severus found the small bag on the table in the foyer with the rectangular object inside. James coached him on how to take the object, which he was informed was a CD, out of its packaging, and he made his way to the machine that supposedly played it.

_'That would have been _so_ much easier with my wand,'_ Severus thought. _'This is _beyond_ ridiculous!'_

More coaching followed on how to operate the machine, and eventually music started to come out. It was loud and shocking, but the singer had a haunting voice. Severus realized after a moment that he was tempted to nod his head and shoulders along with the beat of the song. Shock and horror ensued.

He chastised himself for his lack of control, but did not turn the music off. Severus realized that he actually wanted to learn as much as he could about Leah. More shock and horror. _'I have _never_ needed anyone else. Why does this Muggle woman fascinate me so?'_

James told him to consider the CD research, as he found out that it was currently Leah's favorite. Reading the case, Severus was able to figure out that the band was called Evanescence, and after intensely listening and studying the music and lyrics, he decided that Leah must indeed have quite a dark side to her. Quite a temper, too, he imagined. As these thoughts were leaving his head, track eight, "Taking Over Me", began to play.

_You don't remember me  
But I remember you  
I lie awake and try so hard  
Not to think of you  
But who can decide what they dream?  
And dream I do…_

_I believe in you  
I'll give up everything just find you  
I have to be with you  
To live, to breathe  
You're taking over me_

He was profoundly in shock at how true those words rang for him. Severus wondered if she felt the same. _'But, how could she? Had she dreamed of him just as he had dreamed of her?' _He had many questions burning inside of him._ 'It's going to be a long evening'_, he thought to himself as the song was ending.

_I look in the mirror and see your face  
If I look deep enough  
So many things inside that are  
Just like you are taking over_

_I believe in you  
I'll give up everything just find you  
I have to be with you  
To live, to breathe  
You're taking over me_

**Soundtrack Entry #4 – Taking Over Me - Evanescence**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Severus was no stranger to alcohol and its effects. He was, however, not used to having a woman thrown into the mix. When the questions weighing on him met his new friend, Louis XIII, he found himself waxing a tinge more sentimental than usual, and by the time his host returned home, he was much less inhibited and restless with curiosity. James was consequently assaulted with a barrage of questions the moment he came through the door.

James placed an order for Chinese food to be delivered, as he knew there was much to discuss and plan. Considering Albus' description, he was pleased to see his guest handling Muggle things like CDs and Chinese takeout rather well. Once the effects of the cognac wore off, Severus was running on pure adrenaline, and his tolerance was fueled by only one thing, Leah's smile. Never in all the times that he dreamt of her, had he seen her smile. It was bewitching.

James noticed the change in his guest and made a mental note to write Albus and Minerva later with a progress report.

After supper, they got down to business. James told Severus everything he knew about Leah, no matter how small the detail. He told Severus about her dark horse that she often joked about, her love of the South and her home in Charleston, her favorite music, and her family and upbringing. James told him about their jobs and how they interacted, how she interacted with other people at the hotel, and how she was perceived by others. After hearing what James had to say, Severus decided that she and Minerva would get along famously. They were both realists with a healthy respect for the rules and when they needed to be broken.

James continued, telling Severus about her recent trauma and how she found out about her fiancé. Severus interrupted and asked James about his earlier comment in the park.

"Something didn't feel right about them. I could see Leah holding back, and as you will soon find out, she never holds back. She must have sensed that something was wrong." James paused for a moment. "She told me the other day that she felt like she should have known the truth, because he made her feel exactly the way I do. I imagine that Albus told you why there is no Mrs. Parson?"

"Yes, he did. There has been speculation for years that I was homosexual, as I have never publicly been in a relationship with a woman. And as you are well aware, people always feel free to speculate."

James nodded in agreement. "Leah is strong. She never hesitates to take care of business, but we all need someone that we can surrender to, someone we can show our true weaknesses to, someone we will allow to protect us when we need it. I know you can give that to her. Albus wouldn't have sent you otherwise."

Severus suddenly looked defeated. "So, it's true. Albus misled me, and I fell for it like an imbecile. I am not here to glean any information from her. Leah, herself, is the purpose that Albus referred to." He said it calmly, accepting it and silently kicking himself.

"I'm sorry you feel duped, but I hope you will give this a chance. As much for Leah's sake as for yours."

"I will admit that I am curious, but I feel sure that she would not want to be involved with someone whose past is as shadowed as my own. Did Albus tell you any of my history? Surely, he did. He told you _everything else_."

"He told me enough. I know you do not know me well enough to trust me yet, but I will ask that you believe me with regard to Leah. She is fiercely loyal to those she cares for, and if Albus is right, she will care a great deal for you."

Severus was unconvinced, but he heard that incessant voice inside begging him to try. He realized that he was fighting to keep his eyes open. It was all too exhausting to think on any more, keeping his defenses up, doing his best to squash hope, trying to silence that infernal voice.

They agreed that the best thing to do, for the next few days at least, was for Severus to continue to gather information and watch her from a distance. James would do all he could to find out her schedule and create opportunities for Severus to see Leah.

While he was preparing for bed, Severus was digging through his suitcase looking for a missing sock when his hand came into contact with something unexpected – the parcel Minerva left for him. Tearing open the paper, he smirked as he realized what it was. Albus was right, it would definitely come in handy. Severus decided that he would wait until morning to tell James about his new secret weapon.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Tuesday, August 8, 2006  
11:50 p.m.

It is a good thing that I have already killed Albus, because this time I actually want to do it. His deception, thin though it was, served its purpose. It got me here, didn't it? He must think me the world's biggest dunderhead. And I proved him right. Damn it!

I feel like a fish out of water here. Something about being with strangers, in an unfamiliar place is leaving me vulnerable. I know how to act at home and what is expected of me, but here, I am free of those bonds and somewhat unsure of how to proceed. I find myself doing things that would have made me cringe at home.

Seeing her today was incredibly confusing, and my emotions are at war. I can feel pride and hope currently raging a fierce battle with one another. For now, I find myself too exhausted from today's revelations to stay awake and see who wins. I need sleep to quiet my mind. Perhaps tomorrow morning I will wake with new resolve. Or perhaps not.

How could I have let this happen?

* * *

Severus woke early Wednesday morning to the soft blue light of dawn seeping through his window. He put on his robe, grabbed the secret weapon and crept downstairs to find James in the kitchen.

"I've got something to show you," James heard a voice say as he dropped the spoon he was using to stir his coffee. He whipped around to find no one there. Slowly he turned back to his coffee and shook his head.

Hearing footsteps on the tile, he spun around. "Severus, that had better be you!" Looking in the direction of the footsteps, he saw his guest's disembodied head floating in mid-air. "Sweet Jesus! What…"

Severus removed the cloak to reveal the rest of his body, leaning against the refrigerator with a smug look on his face. "This, James, is an invisibility cloak. Albus sent it with me. He said it might come in handy."

"Can I try it?" James asked. He stared incredulously as he slipped his arm in and watched it disappear into thin air. "Um, yeah, I think it will help you quite a bit. This gives me an idea."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

At James' suggestion, Severus agreed to wear the invisibility cloak to the hotel that afternoon for a trial run. Leah would be working for several hours in the storage room, taking her quarterly stock of supply levels and providing the perfect opportunity for Severus to observe her.

Following James' directions, Severus arrived at 2:00 as requested and strolled silently though the lobby, unnoticed by its inhabitants. James stood at the far end by an enormous china cabinet artfully filled with expensive looking curios, casually surveying the activity in the lobby and looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

He fought to keep himself from yelping when an invisible Severus tapped him on the shoulder. "This way," James whispered as he turned and led Severus through a set of double doors before winding his way through several corridors and indicating the storage room doors ahead of them.

Severus followed James into the enormous room, maneuvering around tall stacks of boxes and crates, all resting on palettes in organized rows. Leah was dead ahead with her back to them, swaying her hips suggestively to an inaudible melody. James turned his head to where he thought Severus was standing behind him and tapped his index fingers to his ears, smiling. She was dressed casually, in a blue polo shirt, khaki pants and sneakers, her pony tail swinging from side to side as she danced.

Leah turned suddenly to find James standing behind her, and she jumped in fright. "Holy shit, James! I didn't hear you come in!" She yanked the tiny headphones from her ears and clutched at her chest, closing her eyes and taking several labored breaths.

"Sorry, dancing queen. I was coming to check on you before I ran out to take care of a couple of errands. You don't find it creepy back here, all by yourself?"

Leah stuck her tongue out at him. "Only when people sneak up on me."

"OK, I'm going. Back in a bit," James said as he turned to leave.

Leah waved to James, put the headphones back in her ears and adjusted something on the small contraption clipped to her pants pocket. She began to sway again as she resumed her work.

Severus moved stealthily to watch her from a better vantage point, leaning against a large crate and crossing his arms. The prim woman he saw reading her book in the park the day before was a far cry from the creature who stood before him now. He had no idea what she was listening to, but whatever it was, Severus imagined it to be lewd. The expression on Leah's face was blatantly sensuous and pleasured as she worked, making notes on her clipboard and mouthing words seductively to no one in particular.

Her behavior was surprising, and Severus had to remind himself that Leah did not realize she had an audience. He didn't think she would be pleased to know that she was being watched, but he was enjoying himself nonetheless. Leah worked, dancing and occasionally singing a few words as she made notes and moved up and down the rows. Every so often, she took a glance around to make sure that she was still alone.

Severus recognized that he was already attracted to Leah on the most basic physical level. He could not deny that he found her attractive, and their current seclusion combined with the suggestive swaying of her hips only heightened his awareness of it. Whether he liked or even cared for who she was as a person had nothing to do with his arousal.

Time flew by as Severus watched Leah, and before he was ready, her task was complete. Leah set down her clipboard on top of the last crate and stretched. She rolled her head around in a slow circle; she threaded her fingers together and stretched her arms forward, palms out; and finally, Leah bent all the way forward at the waist stretching her back. Each of the these movements, in and of themselves, were nothing out of the ordinary, but despite himself, Severus found them incredibly erotic. Leah seduced him without even trying.

Her cell phone rang in her pocket, and Severus watched her frown after answering it.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked angrily. Leah narrowed her gaze in a predatory manner as the person on the other end spoke. "How you could have the _gall_ to call me after what you did astounds me! Listen here, shit head, you're _not_ getting it back."

Severus wondered how many seconds it took for her to go from pleasured to furious. Not many.

"Why? Because I _pawned_ it, that's why!" Leah balled up her fist and ground her teeth. "Oh, go to hell, Will." She snapped the phone shut, shoved it back into her pocket, grabbed the first thing she could find – the clipboard – and hurled it against the wall. Screaming in anger, Leah stalked over to an open crate of wine glasses, smashing them one by one on the concrete floor before bursting into tears.

Severus tried to be objective as he watched the scene unfold before him, but he found himself feeling intensely protective of Leah. It made him angry that someone had hurt her, and he wanted them to pay _almost_ as much as Leah did. Severus was impressed with her ferocity and seduced all over again by her rage.

* * *

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Dear Albus and Minerva,

I hope this letter finds you both well. First, let me apologize for the tardiness of this report. Severus and I have been much occupied, as you can imagine. He has been here for four days now and things are going well, I think.

When I first saw him, I could hardly believe how accurate your description was. It was easy to pick him out of the crowd. He was indeed tall, dark and mysterious compared with the other people coming off the plane. His most prominent feature, the scowl you mentioned, was there as well, although I dare say you would hardly recognize your friend now. Not to worry, I haven't corrupted him too hopelessly with my Muggle ways! But I think you would find him much altered. Each day I see less and less of the scowl – he nearly cracked a smile when he saw Leah in person for the first time!

I have been busy, creating opportunities for Severus to see her at some point each day, and even though he tries to hide it, I can see that he relishes each moment, drinking in her presence. His stony exterior gets weaker and weaker every time he is near her, and I am beginning to see glimpses of the longing Albus mentioned to me. I think he has dared to begin to hope. We have come up with a plan, and that's all I'll say for now.

P.S. Many thanks for the owl you sent. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Sadie has been very useful to have around, keeping my attic free of mice! I look forward to seeing her back very soon with your reply.

P.P.S. How is Sadie able to cross an ocean and make it all the way to merry, old England so quickly?

Very sincerely yours,  
James**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**  
Thursday, August 10, 2006 

11:30 p.m.

Today I watched her eating lunch in the park again, just as I did earlier in the week. Leah seems to take joy in simple things. She smiles at strangers passing by and feeds birds with her bread crusts. These would be utterly forgettable actions had I not witnessed her rage in the hotel storage room yesterday. Hell hath no fury. While I am intimately familiar with hell and fury, I found my desire to protect her and seek retribution on her behalf surprising. I do not even know this woman, but I confess that her kindness fascinates me just as much as her ire.

* * *

Friday, August 11, 2006

Dear James,

It was magnificent to hear from you! Your good news was music to our ears. Albus and I were quite amused when we tried to picture Severus smiling. We weren't sure if he had it in him, but were glad to be proven wrong! We are so very grateful for your efforts and your hospitality.

With regard to your question about Sadie, we would think the answer should be quite obvious.

Kindest regards,  
Albus and Minerva


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Leah sat in Friday morning traffic, her hands clenched on the steering wheel, trying to control a severe fit of road rage. She put in her favorite CD and concentrated on the music to take her mind off of the bus ahead blocking three lanes of traffic.

The first song began to play, and she was suddenly reminded of the night of her attack. Leah constantly listened and watched for signs as she promised herself she would, but they were few and far between. _'Patience is a virtue'_, she chanted to herself.

Leah made her way through the lobby and into her office, thinking to herself how much she loved the colors used in the hotel's recent renovation, dark green, peach and pomegranate red. The lazy floral pattern on the drapes made the flowers look like they were swimming on an invisible breeze.

The concierge sat at his desk talking on the phone, and guests at the front desk were being helped by Margie, just beginning her shift. All was well at the hotel, nothing out of the ordinary.

_'Good'_, she thought, _'let's keep it that way until I get out of here this afternoon.'_

Leah was not in the mood for any crises. There was too much to be done before she left that afternoon for her vacation with the girls.

"All ready?" she heard James ask, poking his head into her office after returning from a late lunch. Leah knew exactly what he meant.

"More than you can possibly know."

James made himself comfortable in her office while she mentioned a couple of things for him to keep an eye on while she was gone.

"Seen any signs lately?" James inquired.

"Not a one, but I'm always hopeful."

"Keep the faith, sweetie. You never know when that dark horse will come ridin' in."

Leah gave him a weak smile as her phone began to ring; her three o'clock appointment was waiting in the lobby.

"Thanks, Margie. Which one is he?" Margie nodded toward the older man standing by one of the large windows across the lobby. Leah proceeded to introduce herself and escorted him to her office for his interview.

Walter Stanton had kind eyes, a firm handshake and the perfect experience to fill the sales position. She offered him the job on the spot, and he accepted. After Leah finished checking the last things off of her list, she shut down her computer, picked up her purse, and made her way to her boss' office.

"James, I'm outta here." He looked up from his pile of paperwork to see Leah standing in his doorway, purse in hand. "Mr. Stanton will start the week I get back. I'll think he'll be a good fit."

"Wonderful, we can introduce him to everyone at the gala. Now get out of here before the traffic gets bad. Have a great time."

Strolling through the lobby, a sense of calm filled Leah as she began her journey to the lake house.

* * *

Once Leah brought everything in from the car in the sweltering heat and cranked up the AC, she put the groceries away.

The tell-tale creak of the screen door made her smile, and she ran to greet Dahlia. They hugged vigorously in anticipation of the coming week. It was 6:30, and they decided to sit on the porch and have a celebratory cocktail.

Dahlia looked just the same to Leah, full of energy, with understanding eyes and a charismatic smile, always ready for an adventure. She was tall and blonde, with an athletic figure. Leah always thought Dahlia was much cooler than she was, always up on the latest trends and never afraid to dance, no matter who was watching. Leah herself was always terrified to dance in front of other people. Except for slow dancing – that she enjoyed.

The time came to meet up with Carmen, and as they rambled over the country roads toward the Summerton Diner, the girls were silent. They simply enjoyed the journey and their surroundings, drinking in the warm dusk of the evening, each thinking that they led a truly charmed life.

When Leah and Dahlia pulled up at the Diner, they saw that Carmen was already seated and waiting on them with glasses of iced tea and a basket of biscuits. They made a commotion in the small restaurant when they greeted each other, causing the usual clientele to look up from their calorie-laden dinners.

"God bless you for having the tea and biscuits ready! We were starving! Jewels in your crown, darling," exclaimed Leah.

Dahlia wholeheartedly agreed, and they ordered what felt like a feast. It was mother's milk to them, since they only had the opportunity to indulge one week out of the year.

Carmen, too, seemed just the same to Leah; married life hadn't changed her a bit. Leah always thought Carmen to be quite a handsome woman with an exotic beauty. Dark, almost black hair complimented her rich mahogany eyes and olive complexion. At first glance she appeared to have a shy demeanor, but upon closer inspection people quickly realized that she was rather feisty. Carmen was extremely protective of those she cared about, and she had a fierce temper if provoked. Leah could relate.

The decadent meal came to an end with the three sharing an enormous piece of coconut cake. Carmen followed the other two back to the house and unpacked her things. By this time, it was around 11:00, and Leah was on the porch reading a book when Dahlia and Carmen knocked on the sliding glass door. She looked up to see them holding a freshly opened bottle of champagne and three glasses. Once everyone was settled, Leah began the evening's toasts.

"To us, ladies. We may not always get what we want. We may not always get what we need. Just as long as we don't get what we deserve." They all drank, continuing the toasts until the bottle was empty.

Too tired for anything else, they decided to turn in. Leah and Dahlia slept in the bedroom with twin beds, while Carmen slept in another room by herself as she liked to sleep late whenever possible.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Sunday, August 13, 2006  
10:20 p.m.

I think that James must be sending messages to Albus. Upstairs earlier, I could have sworn that I heard an owl moving about in the attic. Although nothing would surprise me these days.

I feel less like myself than ever, and I dare say that I might be enjoying it. I have, however, missed seeing Leah while she is gone. While she is away with her friends, James is keeping me busy. I think he can tell that I miss doing my research. The time apart is doing me good though, as I was starting to feel like what Muggles call a "stalker", and I'm not sure that she would appreciate it if she knew. It is also giving me some time to think things through.

All those moony-eyed, pathetic lovebirds must be right when they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I feel, for the first time in very long while, that I actually have a heart beating within my chest. I realize now what a creature of routine and habit I have become.

As dusk was setting in, I decided to take a walk. I've learned quite a bit about the town over the past week and feel confident finding my way around. It was warm out as usual, but as the sun was very low, I found it tolerable. Perhaps my years in the cold of the dungeon are finally catching up with me.

The most accurate word I can think of to describe Charleston is charming. Despite my confusion and uncertainly of late, I've grown quite fond of the soft fragrance of the Confederate jasmine growing up the side of the house, the clip clop of horseshoes on the street as a carriage full of tourists passes by, the tolling of church bells in the distance. This place possesses a simple, gracious elegance, and I am comforted by it.

As I walked toward the Battery and White Point Gardens, I realized that it had only been one week since my last walk around the lake at Hogwarts. How could a person change so much in such a short amount of time? I can hardly put a name to what I feel now. It is strange and unfamiliar territory. I have begun to think of Leah as mine, and I feel the danger inherent in that.

I am anxious for the end of the week to come as James says he has a surprise for me. Of course, I already know what it is, and I can hardly wait to see her at the lake with her friends, even if I am to remain in hiding. I am not proud of my continued "stalking", and I grow weary of waiting to make contact with her. But James says the time has to be right.

I have not yet decided how to approach her or what I will say when I do. We have, however, agreed upon the perfect opportunity. And luckily, I will not have to wait much longer, as I find my patience wearing dangerously thin.

* * *

James informed Severus at breakfast on Thursday morning that he would be coming home early that afternoon.

"I need you to be ready to go out at 2:00," James informed him.

"Where are we going? Not more sightseeing."

"No. I've made an appointment for you. I know you don't watch much television, but have you ever seen or heard of something called 'Queer Eye'?"

The look on his face was all the reply James needed. Severus had no idea what it was, but he was sure he wasn't going to like it.

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun," James said encouragingly. "I'm taking you for a little makeover. Nothing major, just a haircut and a consultation. Derek is a friend of mine, and I promise he won't do anything terrible to you."

"I thought you said she would like my style."

"She will, that's not what I'm saying. You just need a little shaping up, a haircut, some tweezing, maybe a few articles of clothing that _aren't_ black? Don't worry, whatever changes we make will only get you that much closer to sealing the deal. Leah's going to have a lot to handle when she learns about you and your…abilities. Being irresistible will only make it easier for her to hear."

A fatigued sigh was Severus' only response.

"The better you look on the outside, the more confident you'll feel on the inside. Come on, it'll be fine. Promise."

James put it in a way that Severus couldn't refuse, and if he had to be "made over", then so be it. That didn't mean he had to make it easy for James.

Severus was always fastidious about his clothing; it was fashion that he ignored. Primping was not his thing, and he saw no point in wasting time on it. The witches he knew had never shown interest in him romantically, (probably because it would have been like trying to cuddle a porcupine) but he wondered over the years what it would be like to be desired simply based on appearance. _'Sirius Black certainly never wanted for admirers, the smug bastard.'_ James supposedly knew what he was talking about in this instance, and despite his instincts, Severus allowed James to drag him along.

On the way to the salon, Severus was insufferably cranky. James, however, plastered on a smile, knowing that it would all be worth it once Leah saw him.

When they walked into the salon, Derek was waiting up front to greet them.

"James, fabulous to see you!" Derek's eyes turned to the stranger standing next to his friend. "Well, James didn't lie. You _are_ tall, dark and mysterious."

Severus never looked more horrified in his life, and he made no effort to hide it. Derek was a good bit shorter than him, with bleached blond hair in a short spiky style. _'Is that eye make-up he's wearing?'_ Derek extended his hand for Severus to shake as James introduced them. _'I wonder if James knows how easily I could kill him in his sleep,'_ Severus thought, ignoring Derek's hand and plotting James' demise.

Severus listened while James and Derek talked about him like he wasn't there, discussing what needed to be done. James saw that Severus was worried and patted him on the shoulder, giving him an encouraging nod. Severus took a deep breath to calm himself as they started, and he reminded himself why he was allowing James and the stranger wearing the eyeliner to do this to him. _'Leah'_ The simple sound of her name calmed him.

After being tweezed, manicured and coiffed, Severus looked in the mirror, grateful that he still recognized the man looking back at him. James was right, the small changes made a big difference. Only a tiny bit of length was cut from his hair, which now hung loosely at his shoulders. Derek should have been the most grateful of all – one flick of Severus' wand, and he could have spent the rest of his days as a house elf.

Relieved, Severus watched as James thanked Derek for his efforts.

"So, what do you think, honestly?" James inquired as they walked down the street.

"Well, I managed to escape without wearing any eye make-up, but I have no idea what either of us is going to do with all those bottles of hair potions you bought."

"They're not potions, Severus. They're called 'product', and you'd better get used to them, because you're going to learn you how to use them."

"If you say so." Severus rolled his eyes. "What manner of torture am I to endure next?"

"We're going to enhance your wardrobe a bit. You have to be fitted for your tux for next week, and you really need a few things that aren't black. Then we'll be ready to head to the lake when I get off tomorrow."

"The lake?" Severus tried to sound surprised.

As they were shopping for the new wardrobe, James told Severus about his idea to rent a house near Leah's at the lake.

"That's very Slytherin of you, James," Severus remarked with a sly smile.

"Um, thanks. I'll take that as a compliment."

The only time the house James wanted for their reconnaissance mission was available was during the last few days of Leah's trip, but he gratefully took what he could get. It was a golden opportunity for Severus to see Leah in her element at the lake with her friends.

He told Severus that he felt a little apprehensive about the plan and hoped Leah wouldn't be too angry with him when she found out. After debating with himself, James he found that he was unable resist the idea; something told him it was the right thing to do.

* * *

Leah's week at the lake passed the same as it always did – too quickly. The usual procession of trips to the dock, movies, naps, eating at the Diner, drinking and toasting all seemed to fly by.

When the girls woke on that sunny Friday morning, they all silently vowed to make the most of the time they had left. They would each depart on Sunday morning to head to their respective homes, so that left them two solid days and nights to play.

The girliness continued – lots of talking about their families, their jobs and most importantly, the men in their lives. Leah's disaster with Will, Dahlia's latest man, who Leah said was "the one" and Carmen's first year of marriage to Rob were all well covered territory.

As they sat on the dock Friday night, the discussion turned to Leah and her situation. Of course they already knew about the attack, her epiphany and the events that followed, but they could see that she felt a bit hopeless about finding someone new. Carmen and Dahlia tried to be encouraging to their friend, reassuring her that her "dark horse" was out there somewhere, trying his best to find her as well. They had no idea how right they were.

After the evening's toasts, the three retired for the night. Leah and Dahlia talked for a short while before Dahlia went to sleep. But Leah was restless, tossing and turning, and when she heard Dahlia's breathing fall into the steady rhythm of a deep sleep, she crept from her bed and out onto the porch as quietly as possible.

She wanted to be alone in the still, quiet of the night. Leah sat on the porch with her knees tucked up under her long, pink nightgown and had an idea.

She reached over and grabbed one of the dry towels draped on a nearby chair. Slipping into the pitch black shadow the house cast on the edge of the porch, she removed her night clothes and wrapped the towel around herself.

Leah looked around to make sure she was alone. Not that she expected to see anyone, the night was quiet and dark, like a cloak wrapping around her.

Clad in nothing but the towel, she proceeded to walk out onto the floating platform at the end of her dock. She looked up at the stars and thought to herself how beautiful life could be when you had the guts to take a few risks.

Leah took one last look around, dropped her towel and slipped quietly into the warm water of the lake.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Severus was also restless that night at the lake, unable to sleep after watching Leah and her friends go inside to retire for the evening. Not seeing her all week was trying for him. He missed her immensely and wondered how that was possible since he hadn't even spoken to her yet. But still, the feeling was there no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

When he finally saw her and heard the sadness in her voice talking with her friends, he felt the need to blast something into bits. Severus wanted painfully to go to her and tell her that her dark horse had indeed come for her, but something inside him hesitated. It was not time yet.

Sitting on the porch of the rented lake house, he let the rhythmic creak of the rocking chair steady his frustration. The prospect of tossing and turning did not appeal to Severus, and he decided to go back out for a walk; the night air always found a way to calm him. Putting on the invisibility cloak, he stepped out the door and, not surprisingly, ended up outside Leah's house.

He was standing down by the water when he heard the door open and saw Leah creep out onto the porch. Severus felt strange as he watched her. What exactly was it about her that called him out? Why did his hands betray him and ache with the need to touch her?

He watched her stand and duck into the shadows. Severus stood, rooted to the spot, holding this breath, and a few moments later, she reappeared wrapped in a towel. He stood motionless, feeling like a coward as Leah passed him, walking down to the end of the dock.

And that was when it happened. It was so quick that he scarcely had time to blink. She dropped her towel and slithered into the water, naked as a babe.

Feeling cowardly before was nothing compared to his new sensation of being a complete pervert. He was nothing more than a voyeur! Still, he didn't find himself averting his eyes; he was only human.

* * *

Leah felt positively hedonistic taking her midnight skinny dip. The water was deliciously warm, like a bath, and the night's arms wrapped around her, congratulating her for taking advantage.

Deep inside she felt a bit naughty. _'Too bad my dark horse isn't here to give me a little spanking'_, she thought as a twisted smile played at her lips.

Leah tried to think of what she would say to him if he were there with her. Only one thing came to mind, and she began to hum to herself.

With pruney fingers, she climbed out and wrapped herself in the towel, still humming. Standing there, alone in her reverie, tears began to roll down her cheeks. Leah imagined that her dark horse was there with her, and she began to sing.

* * *

Severus heard the sound of her humming as she swam and watched her climb out and stand on the dock to sing her hauntingly familiar song. Realization slowly washed over him, and he knew he was living out his most treasured dream. His Leah was breathtaking. The sight of her in all her glory made him tremble inside and out, and if it weren't for the tree he was leaning against, he would have been on his knees.

An involuntary tear rolled down his cheek as he heard her song echoing over the water. It was all exactly as it had been in his dream, and after she made her way past him and into the house, he allowed himself to sink quietly to the ground.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Saturday, August 19, 2006  
8:00 a.m.

Last night, my worst fear was realized. I am no longer in control of my emotions. I am drawn to Leah, and she easily possesses me. I am completely vulnerable.

I confess that I do not understand how I could feel this way for someone I have never met, but I cannot deny what burns within me.

James will definitely know something has happened when he sees me. There is no way to close Pandora's Box now. I could not hide this no matter how hard I tried.

As I looked in the mirror this morning, I hardly recognized myself. The man who stood there was so different from the Severus Snape I know. He wasn't scowling. I tried, but couldn't manage it.

Hope is no longer my enemy. I have given myself over to it, and I will do whatever is required of me to win her. My Leah. I find myself desperately wanting to answer her call. I will allow no one else the privilege.

* * *

Severus tried to stroll casually into the kitchen the next morning. He felt like skipping, but thankfully he still had enough control to suppress the urge.

He did his best to act calm and cool as he fixed a cup of coffee, but it was too late. James watched him suspiciously, and when Severus settled down with his coffee, James looked him straight in the eye.

"Oh—My—God!" James gasped as his eyes opened wider and wider. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. "It's happened!"

Severus looked up from his coffee and tried to hide behind his faithful shield, the scowl. "What are you on about?" he asked, trying to sound aloof.

"Don't you give me that, mister! You are totally and completely smitten."

Just as he feared, James called his bluff. Severus leaned his elbows on the table and put his face in his hands, taking a deep breath and letting out a long sigh. "I didn't say that, you did."

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," James said knowingly, trying to comfort him.

Severus groaned, peeking up through his fingers at James and feeling like a child.

**Soundtrack Entry #5 – Secret – Maroon 5**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Leah was the first one awake on Saturday morning. She quietly got up, made herself a cup of tea and stepped onto the porch in her pajamas to drink it.

It was only 7:30, and it was already 84 degrees according to the thermometer on the wall. They could spend all day on the dock if they wanted to, swimming and lounging.

Leah thought about her late night swim and decided not to tell the girls about it, greedily locking it away inside herself.

Carmen appeared bleary-eyed at the porch door a few minutes later. "Last day. I knew you'd be up early trying to make it last as long as possible."

"I didn't expect to see you up for at least another hour. I didn't wake you, did I?" Leah asked.

"No, I want today to last as long as possible, too. No matter how long we're here, it's never long enough."

Leah patted the seat of the chair next to her and Carmen joined her. They sat together quietly for a few minutes, basking in the comfort of silence between friends.

"I think Rob and I are going to start trying for a baby in the fall," Carmen said nonchalantly.

"Well, I'm sure you're already considering naming it after me. If it's a boy, Leon will do just fine," Leah joked, trying to deflect the surge of emotion she felt.

Carmen smiled; nothing else needed to be said. Leah knew how monumental that was for her friend, and she couldn't have been happier.

Carmen wanted to tell her about it earlier in the week, but had not wanted to upset Leah, as she seemed more emotional than usual. Finding your fiancé in the arms of another man had a way of doing that to a girl.

"Have you told Dahlia yet?"

Carmen nodded in response, her smile widening.

A few minutes later Dahlia joined them on the porch with a truly inspired idea.

The three were soon seated at the diner in their booth sipping coffee when several men walked in and sat down at a corner table. They wore ratty clothes and looked to have been awake for quite some time.

"I could never get up that early to go fishing," Leah commented.

"How do you know that's what they were doing?" Dahlia inquired.

"Because Ben's always been into that. I remember when my family used to come up to the lake during summer vacations. He was always out on the water before we were even ready for breakfast."

Carmen and Dahlia's mouths hung open, and they turned their heads slightly to get a better look. There he was, the infamous Ben, sitting with the guys in the corner.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize him!" Carmen gasped.

Leah made a face that told the girls to be a little quieter with their surprise at seeing him; the diner was a small restaurant.

"It's a good thing I have on this baseball cap or he might have recognized me."

Leah's comment didn't fool them for a minute. Ben and Leah dated on and off through the years when it was convenient, but it never seemed to work out, as he wouldn't ever leave the lake and she wouldn't ever leave Charleston. Not for him, at least. Leah always thought she was more invested in the relationship than Ben, but she couldn't stop herself from wanting to be with him when the opportunity arose.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Carmen asked.

"Doubtful. This is our last full day here and I'm not sure I want to waste it having the usual drama with him. I'm getting to the point where it's not worth my time."

"Good girl. You've had enough crap to deal with lately, and you probably don't need to get into it with him for the hundredth time."

Leah knew Carmen was right; this was not the time. As long as she stayed in the booth with her back to him and went about her business, he wouldn't notice her.

After a nice breakfast, the girls paid the bill and said goodbye to their favorite waitress, Betty, since they probably wouldn't see her again until next year.

Just as the door was closing behind them, Leah heard Betty call after her, and she realized that she left her sweater sitting in the booth.

_'I really hope Ben didn't hear that'_, she thought.

She turned and Betty met her at the door with her sweater. After thanking her, Leah let out a sigh of relief and hurried to the car to make her escape.

"Not so fast, missy," she heard Ben say behind her as she approached the car.

_'Crap.'_

She turned to see him in his old Clemson tee shirt, frayed khaki shorts and flip flops. His blond hair was longer than usual, giving him a surfer look, and his hazel eyes were squinting at her in the bright sunshine.

"Hi, Ben. You're looking sharp as always," Leah said playfully.

"I ran into your dad and your brother Brandon when they were here fishing a few weeks back, and they said that you and Will broke up. I'm sorry."

"Thanks. It just didn't work out, and I'm _really_ glad my family thinks it's a good idea to share that with everyone they see," she said sarcastic enthusiasm.

"So, how long have you been here? Why didn't you call me?"

"'Cause I'm here with the girls, and I didn't think this was a good time to get into anything," she explained impatiently.

"We don't have to get into anything, we've known each other long enough to be friends. I care about you, you know that."

"That's really sweet, Ben, but we're leaving tomorrow. You caught me at the end of my trip."

"Well, can I come see you today? We could just hang out. _As friends._ Come on, I'm happy to hang with Carmen and Dahlia, too. I mean it."

Leah knew she couldn't refuse him. "Alright, we're probably going to be out on the dock if you want to come by."

"Great. I'll see you later then."

Ben smiled like the good ole boy he was, and waved to the girls who were trying not to stare from inside the car. Naturally, they heard the entire conversation.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** If you have read this far, I am guessing that you are enjoying the story. I hope so. :) I posted the first 10 chapters all in one week, but from here on out, I plan on posting two chapters a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. (Some weeks I may post three chapters.) This story is complete, so there should not be any delays. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this far! There is much more to come... _


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Leah caught herself sighing as she watched Ben walk away across the parking lot; she couldn't help it. _'Hate to see him go, but love to watch him leave.'_

It was now time to turn around and face the girls. Luckily, they were very understanding and not too bothered that Ben would be coming by later. They both knew him from seeing him on and off over the years and thought he was a good guy even if it hadn't worked out between him and Leah.

It was around 10:30 when they got back to the house. The girls changed into their bathing suits, grabbed the towels and CD player and headed down the dock.

"I think we'll start with a little Bon Jovi. What do you say ladies?" Leah said.

"Excellent choice, daahling," Dahlia replied, putting on her best heiress accent.

As Jon sang and explained why they gave love a bad name, the girls got comfortable. After a short nap in the sunshine, Leah stood up and stretched. "Y'all want anything from inside? I'm going in to visit the urination station and get a fresh drink."

While Leah was inside tending to the drinks, Carmen and Dahlia heard a boat approaching and slowing down as it got closer to the dock. They looked up to see Ben driving with a small bouquet of flowers sitting on the seat next to him.

Carmen caught the rope he threw and tied his boat to the dock. She looked up at Ben holding the flowers in his hand and smirked. He was standing perfectly still, staring at Leah as she made her way back down to the dock.

_'Aw, man! He's got flowers'_, Leah thought as she carried the drinks. _'Very slippery, Ben. I'm still not getting into it with you, I don't care if you've got diamond earrings in your pocket.'_

"Hey, you," he called as she got closer.

"Hey, yourself," Leah called back.

Leah graciously accepted the flowers and walked with Ben back to the house to put them in some water. Carmen and Dahlia rolled their eyes at exactly the same moment as they watched the pair walk away.

"Ben, thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

A small card fell out onto the kitchen floor as she unwrapped them. She looked up at Ben suspiciously, and he nodded at her to open it.

**I'll always be here for you. I'll always care about you. No matter what. –Ben**

Leah was stunned. She realized that her eyes were full of tears when she tried to look up at him and found him smiling softly.

"I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's OK," she squeaked, "Thank you…really."

Ben put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go back outside or I'm gonna get the evil eye." Leah laughed, wiped her eyes and headed back out with Ben.

To Leah's great relief, Ben was a complete gentleman that afternoon. He flirted only mildly with her, and she enjoyed every minute of it, returning the favor.

Around 5:00, Ben announced that he had to go, and the two of them walked up to the house to get him a drink for the ride home. Leah felt incredibly weak as she stood in the kitchen with him. _'Please don't try anything, Ben. I'm not sure I could refuse.'_

Ben reached out to hug her and Leah held him tightly. His arms were strong and comforting; she felt safe with him.

He pulled back to look down at her with his steadfast hazel eyes. He didn't need to say a word, the way he looked at her repeated what the card said. Ben took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead protectively.

"Take care of yourself, Leah. I meant what I wrote on the card."

Leah nodded and gave him a weak smile, her cheeks wet with tears.

When the boat was out of sight, Dahlia looked at Leah knowingly. "I think it's time for a cocktail. How 'bout you?"

* * *

Severus was hot under the invisibility cloak. He was hot because it was 112 degrees outside with the heat index, but he would have been just as hot standing in the middle of a blizzard. 

The moment he saw the boat pull up and Ben standing there, leering at _his_ Leah, he snapped. He never wanted to Avada Kedavra someone so much in his life. It was lucky that he didn't have his wand with him.

Severus began to feel like a fool, because he could see that Leah obviously cared for the man in the boat. Where had this _Ben_ come from? What was he doing there?

When Ben's boat pulled away, Severus literally ran back to the house as questions raced through his mind. James was reading on the porch when Severus burst in and relayed what happened on the dock.

Severus was distraught, and he was angry at himself for not stepping in sooner and making contact with Leah. Rationally, he knew he could not blame her; she had no idea that he even existed. Realistically, he was fuming.

James thought for a moment, then walked into the house and retrieved his cell phone. He called Leah's cell and waited for her to pick up while Severus held his breath and watched. After a few rings, Leah answered.

"Hey, girl, how's the lake?" James asked casually.

"James, is everything OK at the hotel?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I'm sorry to bother you while you're on vacation, but I needed your password. I figured it wasn't 'mrsfournier' anymore. I'm going in tomorrow to check on a few things, and I need to get into your invitation list. I have to check on some things for the gala," James lied.

"Oh, yeah, it's 'bonnieblue'. You had me worried there for a minute."

"Sorry, honey. How's the vaycay?"

"It's fine. I've had a long day, though. Ran into Ben this morning and he came over for a visit this afternoon. He was being all nice and supportive and caring. It was rough."

"Hmmm. At least he was being nice. Any action?" James asked. Severus shot him a deadly look.

"No, thank God! I couldn't handle that right now. He was a gentleman. It was actually really sweet."

"Well, then, that's something. Hey, I don't want to keep you. See you Monday," James said, nodding and smiling at Severus.

"Alright, see you then. Bye."

James let out a huge sigh as he hung up. He could see that Severus was dying to know what was said.

"It's nothing. Just an old flame. Don't worry, Severus, she's not taking the bait."

The scowl reappeared. "Tuesday night will not come soon enough."

"I've been thinking that maybe she should see you before the gala on Tuesday night. Just briefly, to pique her interest."**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Sunday, August 20, 2006  
8:00 p.m.

I can hardly put into words the intensity of the anger I felt yesterday. James says that no harm was done, and I am glad for that, but it would have been my extreme pleasure to do some serious harm to Ben.

I can think of no worse torture than to have to watch my Leah flirt with another man.

The worst part was that I could do nothing about it. I had to stand there and watch it happen. Well, no more. In a precious few hours I will be meeting her face to face for the first time. It would be a lie for me to say that I am not apprehensive. I am. But I am also hopeful, and that delusion is enough to carry me through.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Leah walked into her office on Monday morning, anticipating a very busy day. The hotel was hosting a gala the next night to showcase the major renovations that took place over the past year.

Millions of dollars had been spent at the Jasmine Courtyard to update everything, and nearly everyone from the local hospitality industry was on the guest list. The gala was a large undertaking, and James was in charge of the whole thing. He was busy nailing down last minute details, and Leah helped him as much as she could.

At 4:00, James called her in a panic. He accidentally-on-purpose forgot his daytimer at his desk when he left to run errands.

"Would you be a dear and run it by my house on your way home? I have to go over some things in there when I get home this evening," he pleaded.

"Sure thing, but I don't think it's going to fit through the mail slot. Do you have a spare key hidden somewhere so I can leave it inside?"

"You can just leave it with Severus," James instructed, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Who?"

"Sorry, my house guest. He's a friend of a friend, staying with me for a little while. His name is Severus Snape. He won't bite…unless you want him to…"

"Thanks for the warning. What kind of a name is Severus, anyway? Did his parents not like him or something?"

"_You'll _like him. He's British. Nice accent."

"Well, in that case, I might just have to check him out. Severus, is it?"

"Yup, gotta run. You're a doll!"

"No problem. Call me if you need anything else," she said as he hung up.

James was so excited he could hardly stand it. He flipped his phone back open and called Severus to let him know when to expect Leah.

"Severus, she's coming by with my daytimer in about an hour, so get ready. I won't be home until six-ish."

Severus took in a deep, slow breath. "Alright. I'll be ready for her."

"Don't worry, you'll be brilliant! I have complete faith in you, _and_ I expect a full report when I get home."

Severus tried to remain calm as he realized he was looking in the mirror for the hundredth time. He was dressed in his typical black: dress pants and a linen shirt. He paced, he attempted to watch TV, he tried to read. Finally, he turned on the CD player and the classical music that came on was mildly successful at calming him.

He forced himself to sit down and take a deep breath. When he closed his eyes, he could see Leah standing on the dock at the lake the night his dream materialized. Focusing on that image, he was able to keep his mind on the task at hand.

Severus heard the CD change to Evanescence and looked at his watch. 5:23.

_'Where _is_ she?'_

He stood to make some tea. It was past tea time, but he _was_ British after all; perhaps some Earl Grey would do the trick.

As he was putting the kettle on the stove, Severus heard someone behind him, and he turned suddenly to see Leah standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"It's you," Leah whispered unconsciously, her words barely audible even to herself. Walking into James' house and finding her dark horse left her momentarily derailed, but to her credit, she was able to refocus quickly to keep from appearing an imbecile. "Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you. The door was unlocked, and James asked me to bring this by for him. You must be Severus. I'm Leah Manning, I work for James."

She took a few steps toward him, set the daytimer on the counter and extended her hand for him to shake.

He had rehearsed this moment countless times in his head, but now that it was here, he could barely speak. So, Severus did the first thing that came to mind; he reached out and took her hand in his, bowed forward gallantly and placed his lips to her warm, porcelain skin. As he looked up, he saw that her eyes were as big as saucers and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Quickly, he tried to draw attention away from what he had just done.

"Severus Snape, at your service," he forced himself to say in a slow and confident manner. "I was just making some tea. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes, please."

Leah could hardly believe her eyes. Did he just kiss her hand? And say he was at her service? All in that delicious, deep voice?

Her pulse was racing as she made her way over to the table to sit down. Leah knew she should have offered to assist, but she realized it was not an option. She was experiencing the full force of meeting her ideal man in the flesh; the way he looked, the way he moved, the way he spoke all called to something deep within her. Electricity crackled in the air, and she suddenly wanted to hear all about things like fish and chips, aluminium and petrol.

_'OK, get yourself together'_, she thought, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"I like a man who knows his way around the kitchen," she said, while thinking, _'Let's see if you can take it as well as dish it out.'_

"Hazard of being a bachelor." _'That's right, I'm single.'_

"I love this CD. Is it yours or James'?"

"Mine. Which song is your favorite?" _'Please say number eight.'_

"I would have to say Taking Over Me, number eight. Yours?"

"The same, actually," he purred as he placed her tea in front of her and sat down.

Severus looked across the table at her, watching as she stirred in some sugar. Now that she was finally here with him, he could hardly take his eyes off of her.

"So, what brings you to Charleston? Business or pleasure?" Leah asked.

"Pleasure. I'm a professor and wanted to take a holiday before the new term begins. James was kind enough to offer to host me. We were introduced by a mutual acquaintance when James was in England last year." Liar.

"Right, he mentioned that he visited with friends when he was there. How are you liking Charleston so far?" She didn't want him to stop talking; the sound of his voice was like a drug, and she couldn't get enough.

They talked, both of them attempting to remain casual, and when track eight came on, they both listened, stealing glances at one another as they drank their tea. Leah finished hers and looked at her watch; it was nearly six.

She stood to take her cup over to the sink, and Severus' heart sank. He suffered through the days waiting to see her and talk with her like this, and he wasn't ready for their time to end.

"Thank you very much for the tea. I hope we'll meet again before you leave," Leah said, standing a few feet away with her keys in hand. She smiled softly at him, dragging out the moment any way she could before accepting defeat and turning to leave.

"Let me show you to the door," he offered.

Walking through the house and turning to reply with a polite, "That's very kind of you," she tripped on the edge of the living room rug.

Leah immediately felt two steady arms around her, supporting her and keeping her from falling. She turned her head slightly and found her face a few inches from his. She could feel his breath on her cheek and his warmth surrounding her. As their eyes locked, her pulse was once again racing.

Severus and Leah were both having the same thought at that moment. _**'****Please.'**_

That divine moment, however, was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening, and they immediately straightened up to see James coming in.

James was delighted to see that they both looked extremely guilty.

"So, you two have met. I really appreciate you bringing my daytimer, Leah," James said cheerfully.

"It was no trouble. I just had a cup of tea with your charming guest," she said, giving James the "can we talk outside" look. "But I really have to go. I have a few errands to run before tomorrow night. It was lovely to meet you, Severus."

"I assure you, Leah, the pleasure was mine," he purred as he took her hand, gently brushing his lips across her skin once again. His lips were cool on her flushed skin, and she closed her eyes to savor their physical contact. They were not alone, but somehow it felt intimate to her.

James was so shocked he could barely move. _'When did Double-0-Severus get here?'_

Leah linked arms with James as she walked out the front door and toward her car. James was trying his best not to crack up laughing, but he wasn't doing very well.

"What was all that about?" he asked with a playful look on his face. "Were you making out in my living room?"

"Well, I _might_ have been if you hadn't walked in. So, I take it he's straight?"

"As an arrow, my dear. Happy hunting," James said as he turned to walk back to his house.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope everyone reading is enjoying the story so far. If you are, please take a moment to leave a review. (Come on, you know you want to...everybody's doing it.) If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to review with those also. :) Many thanks to my current readers and reviewers! I will post three chapters this week, so there is one more to come on Friday... 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Tuesday morning came quickly, and before she knew it, Leah was at work helping James double-check the final preparations for the gala; the entire day was blocked out on her calendar to help him with whatever he needed. Mid-morning, she dragged James into his office and closed the door.

"OK, I know we're busy today, but you've got to tell me what the deal is with Severus, because I have to tell you something that is going to sound crazy. _Really_ crazy."

"Try me", said James, giving her a challenging look.

"Well, I've been having this one dream for years. I have it over and over and the same man is always there, my 'dark horse'," Leah said, making little quotation marks in the air with her fingers. "And, James, it's Severus! He's my dark horse, the exact same man as in my dream," she confessed, looking worried.

"I don't think that sounds crazy at all," James said calmly. "It sounds like a _sign_ to me. You two seemed to be getting along famously from what I saw yesterday." James was now smirking like the Cheshire cat.

"What do you know about him? Come on, you have to tell me everything! What did he say last night after I left?"

"I could tell he was quite taken with you. He didn't really say anything specific, but I could tell. He's a professor, chemistry I think, mid-forties, never been married. He's a friend of one of my relatives in England. Other than that, I don't know too much about him. I guess that's for you to find out. You'll have the perfect opportunity this evening, since I've invited him to the gala."

"What?! Holy shit! I have to get another dress. The one I was going to wear is way too boring. This calls for drastic measures. What time is it?"

"10:45. I think we can do without you for a while. Why don't you head down King Street and do a little shopping? I'll see you back after lunch."

"I love you, James! See you in a bit," Leah said, grabbing her purse and rushing out the door. She was glad that she pawned her engagement ring; fancy dress purchases were not part of her usual budget.

* * *

James was in the ballroom checking items off his list when he saw Leah come in shortly after 1:00.

"Did you find a suitable replacement?" he inquired.

"Yes, crisis averted. Now, what can I do to help you?"

"Let's head down to the kitchen and make sure that everything is on schedule. I'm starving," James said with a wink.

They spent the rest of the afternoon continuing the double-checking all of the arrangements. At 5:00, they gathered their things and took over a couple of open guest rooms to get ready. The gala started at 7:00, and they needed to be ready at a quarter after six to supervise the final preparations.

At 6:15 on the dot, Leah descended the staircase outside the ballroom. She looked down to see James staring at her, awestruck.

She wore an emerald green dress that draped loosely across her décolleté; it hung the same way in the back, only much lower, revealing almost her entire back. The dress clung to her in all the right places, the long skirt flowing elegantly as she approached. Her hair was swept up into a stately twist with pins that sparkled in the light of the chandeliers.

James had never seen Leah look more beautiful. The way she carried herself was nothing short of regal, head held high, shoulders back, with graceful arms and hands, and he thought to himself how lucky Severus was.

"You're stunning. Do you realize that? Honestly, I've never seen you look more lovely than you do right now."

"Thank you," she said demurely. "You look dashing, as always. Too bad you're gay or I'd have snapped you up long ago."

"Don't say that too loudly, your dark horse will be here before long. I have you down to work the door and help me handle any crises that might come up, but when Severus gets here, I need for you to abandon your post and escort him inside. I'm sure you won't mind helping me entertain my guest."

"Your wish is my command," Leah replied. She meant it; James was very dear to her and she would happily do whatever he wanted, even if it didn't involve Severus.

James checked his list, and they walked toward the ballroom to make sure that the band was all set. When the last item was checked off, Leah took up her post at the main entrance. She chatted with the bellboys, Elliott and Thomas, while she welcomed the arriving guests.

Around 7:45, she saw Severus approaching. He was magnificent — tall, intense and handsome in his solid black formal wear with his hair tied back. His facial expression was complex, and Leah thought he looked as though he was coming home from a long journey, his spirit peaceful, yet somewhat depleted.

She took a deep breath and said a quick, self-centered prayer. Leah felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach when he greeted her by taking her hand and pressing it gently to his lips. She recognized his scent, cool and soapy, from their brief encounter the day before.

"Good evening, Professor Snape," she said smoothly.

"Please, call me Severus. You look ravishing," he said, his dark eyes sparkling as he spoke. She looked to him like strength and grace incarnate.

"Thank you. You are very handsome as well," Leah said, surveying her dark horse.

Severus offered his arm. "Shall we?"

Leah took it, and Severus placed his free hand on top of hers. The contact was intoxicating, and she struggled to keep her composure. She could feel the power that radiated from his fingers as it coursed through her body.

They made their way through the lobby and toward the main ballroom. As they walked, neither one spoke; they were too busy savoring the moment and sneaking glances at one another. Severus and Leah didn't notice the other guests admiring them.

James was standing on the landing at the top of the staircase outside the ballroom when he saw them approaching.

"Leah, thank you for taking such good care of my guest. Everything seems to…"

Leah and James' heads jerked suddenly toward a loud crash around the corner. They immediately excused themselves and rushed to see what was wrong.

A large mirror had been knocked off the wall by someone making their way through the crowded hallway and shattered on the floor, startling guests and strewing shards everywhere. One of the ladies standing nearby when the mirror fell was picking up the larger pieces. Leah recognized her as one of the sales staff from another hotel, Karen something-or-other.

James and Leah thanked her for her help and immediately began to take over with the clean-up as they didn't want any of the guests to cut themselves. Too late. Leah noticed that Karen's hand was bleeding, and instantly led her away to the nearest first aid kit to tend to the cut.

_'Great! Now I have to leave my dark horse and go help you because you're a moron!'_ Leah thought as she looked back at Severus with a false mask of patience and caring for Karen that seemed to say, "Bless your heart." (Not being from the South, Severus didn't know that the translation for "Bless your heart" was sometimes "You're so stupid".)

Severus watched as James and Leah sprang into action, working well together to handle the situation. Leah was obviously a very nice person, helping someone idiotic enough to pick up shards of broken mirror without care, deserving to be cut. Severus knew he couldn't have been as patient or as kind to the woman.

_'A quick Reparo would have been sufficient. Damned Muggles!'_

After Leah bandaged Karen's small cut, she returned to scene of the accident to find that everything was already taken care of. She hurried to the ballroom in search of James to see if he needed anything and to see where Severus went. Leah didn't want anyone else to get their claws on him.

Poking her head into the main ballroom, she saw that the gala was going extremely well; the hotel was packed with guests admiring the renovations and enjoying themselves. Leah looked around trying to find Severus or James, and at first glance, she didn't see either of them.

She walked to the other side of the room and spotted Severus by the bar holding two glasses of champagne. Their eyes met, and Leah worked to steady her breathing as the bolt of lightening stuck.

Severus arched his eyebrow at her and she returned his challenge. Leah felt her legs begin to tremble and she leaned on the table behind her for support while he made his way across the room to her.

She dreamed of this man her whole life, her dark horse, and here he was, standing before her, offering her champagne just as he always had, only this time it was not a dream. She could reach out and touch him. The desire she felt to take the next step was exhilarating.

Leah accepted the glass of champagne, her fingers brushing against his as she grasped the stem, and she knew exactly what to do next.

"Looking for someone?" she asked, her eyes smoldering.

He leaned forward to place his glass on the table behind her, and she felt his breath on her cheek as he said the words she had waited years to hear.

"Just you." His voice was like a spell being cast over her, deep, rich and welcoming.

"Well, Severus, now that you've found me, what is it you plan to _do_ with me?" Leah said, amazed that she was able to come back with anything at all.

He straightened back up to full height and extended his arm to her once again.

"Shall we dance?"

Leah took his arm as he led her to the dance floor; she felt the warmth of Severus' hand at her waist as she reached out to him. She hardly noticed the other couples as they began to dance, moving fluidly around the floor with him, a flawless fit.

Leah looked up at Severus and saw that he was completely focused on her. His eyes stared into hers with an intensity she never could have imagined possible, consuming her. It was as though he could see straight into her mind and hear her thoughts. At that particular moment, Leah was thinking how good his hand felt at her waist and how she never wanted him to let go.

Severus was encouraged by what he heard her thinking. He wanted to take her hand and lead her away to some place they could be alone; he was not interested in an audience.

Despite his urge to escape with Leah, Severus found himself captivated by her. He focused on savoring the moment, the feel of her body close to his, her lavender scent and the asking in her eyes.

After a few songs, the band took a break, and they were forced to stand apart. Leah realized with a guilty start that she had abandoned James. While she was dancing, he was handling the gala by himself.

"I should go check in with James and see if he needs anything," she explained to Severus. "Will you excuse me?"

As she walked away, she felt his eyes follow her through the room.

Leah found James in the lobby mingling with some guests and caught his eye. He introduced her, and they chatted for a moment. _'I really couldn't care less about you people right now. Could you just move on so I can talk to James?'_ she thought impatiently.

James turned to her once they were alone. "So, how's it going with Severus? I trust you are doing your best to keep our guest entertained."

Leah's face turned dreamy. "I can hardly think straight, James. We were just dancing, and I could swear my feet never touched the ground."

"Well, everything's going fine as far as the gala's concerned. Go. Dance, flirt, work that mojo. You're quite the scandal, darling. Everybody on staff is dying to know who he is, so you'd better go attend to him before someone else does."

"Did I mention how much I love my job?" Leah asked.

As she was walking past the front desk, Margie called her over.

"Soooo, where'd you find Count Dracula? He's tasty."

Leah made a cool face. "I'll never tell."

She could have sworn she heard Margie give her a hearty, "You go, girl!" as she walked away.

Leah hurried to her office to freshen up her lipstick and headed back out to find him. As she walked back through the lobby, she spotted James and Severus walking out into the courtyard. She watched as they stood talking by the French doors that opened into the restaurant; they hadn't seen her.

Leah hurried around through the restaurant and hid behind a large potted palm. She could hear them talking, but wasn't close enough to make out exactly what they were saying.

As she crept closer in an attempt to hear them better, she heard Severus say very clearly, "Leah, why don't you join us?"

She stuck her head out from behind the large palm and saw him staring straight at her with a sly smile.

James leaned forward and peeked around the edge of the door at her. He was desperately trying to keep a straight face, but couldn't manage it. He burst out laughing when he saw Leah's beet-red face staring back.

She abandoned her poorly conceived hiding place and took her place next to Severus, looking sheepish. Feeling Severus' hand at the small of her back, she looked up at him.

"I believe the band's break is over. Would you like to dance again?" he asked.

"Sounds like a plan, perhaps an activity will help keep me out of trouble."

James winked at Leah as she and Severus left to return to the ballroom.

But when they arrived at their destination, the music they heard coming from the ballroom was not slow like before. Leah looked at Severus and simply said, "They're shagging."

Almost immediately after she uttered the words, she wanted to eat them. She saw the bewildered look on his face and knew she had committed a major faux pas.

"Sorry, the Shag is the state dance here in South Carolina. Not shagging like you're thinking of. Want me to teach you? The dance, I mean…not the other…I…um...," she babbled, looking desperate and apologetic.

"Thank you for the offer, but I believe I'll pass…on the dance. Would you like to go outside for some air?"

Leah was never more grateful in her life. She took his arm and led him away from the ballroom, around a couple of corners and down a long hallway. Leah opened the door at the end and took him out onto a large balcony overlooking the street.

A series of lights gave off a soft glow along the edge of the railing. It was just bright enough to see their way, and at the same time, dark enough to remain concealed.

They were alone, and it was now Severus' turn to tremble; the possibilities of the situation called to him as he looked at his Leah. He wanted to hold her, to feel her body pressed against his, to touch her face and kiss her in the sanctuary of the dark night.

Leah walked over to the railing and, just as she hoped, Severus followed. He stood behind her, putting his arms around her with his hands resting on the rail.

She leaned back against him and he let go of the rail, closing his arms around her. Leah tilted her head to one side, and as she did, Severus leaned forward to drink in her scent. His Leah smelled of lavender, and he wanted her like he had never wanted anything in his life.

She felt his warm breath on her neck and wondered if she could die from the anticipation she felt. Leah pulled away and slowly turned to face him, still held in his embrace. His eyes glittered in the soft light, and he took a ragged breath.

Leah could take no more; she reached up and touched his face, running the pads of her fingers across his lips. She felt his hands on her bare back, pulling her close, and in response, her hands reached around his neck, tangling in his hair and pulling him even closer. Their lips met as they devoured each other with hungry kisses.

Leah wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. She ran her tongue across his lips, and Severus deepened the kiss, learning that his Leah tasted better than he could have ever imagined, like champagne laced with honey.

Inevitably, after a few minutes, Severus and Leah had to hold themselves back to catch their breath. Their eyes locked, and in that instant, they knew they would never be the same again; there was no point in fighting it. They had no choice but to surrender to each other, and on that cloudless, summer night, they did it willingly.

Not a word had been spoken between them since coming out onto the balcony. They studied each other, both thinking the same thought. _**'****Please let this be real.'**_

Severus reached down and touched Leah's face, attempting to memorize it; she smiled in response and pulled him close so that she could feel the beating of his heart.

**Soundtrack Entry #6 – At Last – Etta James**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Severus and Leah lingered on the balcony, savoring their kisses. Leah realized that she had no idea what time it was and that she really didn't care to know. She wondered if James was looking for them, but thought he probably had a pretty good idea where they were; the balcony was her secret escape at work, and James knew it. Any minute, she expected to see him come through the door.

"You're worried that James is looking for you, that he needs you for something?" Severus asked.

Leah gave him a suspicious look. "OK, that's just plain creepy. First you caught me eavesdropping and now you can read my mind?"

Severus smiled at her mischievously. "I'm a man of many talents, my dear."

"I agree. I've been enjoying them all evening, especially since we came out here."

He could feel the last shreds of his control beginning to slip away. "Perhaps we should go and find James before we get into trouble."

"Perhaps you're right," she said with a wink as she smoothed her hair. "Severus, would you like me to fix your hair? I've made quite a mess of it."

"I think I'd better do it, or we're likely to end up right back where we started."

* * *

James spotted them coming through the lobby and gave them a knowing look.

"James, what can I help you do?" Leah asked.

"Nothing. I think everything is under control. I just closed the bars, so the last few stragglers will be leaving momentarily. Why don't you take off? It's been a long day and I'm sure you're worn out."

"Not a chance. That's sweet of you to offer, but I'm not leaving until everything's done," she said flatly.

James knew she wouldn't budge. "Well, in that case, will you make the rounds and close up all of the meeting rooms that were open? Then, I'll just have the ballroom left to worry about."

Leah saluted and climbed the staircase once again, leaving the two men standing in a quiet lobby.

Severus turned to James after admiring the view and asked with concern, "Would it be possible to have someone to bring her car to the door?"

* * *

Once everything was taken care of, Leah said goodnight to James and went to her office to gather her things. But where was Severus? Leah desperately wanted to see him again before she left. _'Maybe I scared him off,'_ she thought.

Leah got as far as the front door and heard James call to her from behind the front desk.

"Your car is out front waiting for you. Thomas has the keys at the bell stand."

Leah looked at James, confused.

"Severus didn't want you walking through the garage by yourself at this time of night. He's waiting for you at your car to say goodnight. I think we'll need a breakfast meeting in the morning to recap, don't you? Oh, and thanks for all your help today."

"You're welcome. See you in the morning," she called back. Thomas handed her keys to her and said goodnight when she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Severus was dead ahead waiting by her car.

"This is a nice surprise. I wondered where you went."

"You didn't think I would leave without saying goodnight, did you?" There was a very pregnant pause before he asked, "When can I see you again?"

Leah inadvertently let out a quiet sigh of relief; she was worried that she had been a little too impetuous. "I'm free tomorrow night."

"Excellent. Shall I call you in the morning and make the arrangements then?"

Leah nodded, relishing his scent and the touch of his hand on her check as Severus leaned in and kissed her goodnight.

Driving away, she saw him in the rearview mirror. Leah reached down, pinched herself and took another glance in the rearview. _'Thank you, Lord. He's still there.'_

* * *

James saw Severus standing in the street watching Leah's car pull away when he came out of the hotel and felt extremely pleased with the evening's progress.

On the drive home, James turned the radio off and the car was quiet. Severus was the only one who spoke.

He shook his head in disbelief and softly said, "I had no idea..."

James regarded his friend with a very satisfied look on his face, unsure if Severus realized that he spoke the words out loud.

Once inside the house, Severus looked at James for a moment before saying simply and intensely, "Thank you."

James nodded his head and smiled in response to say that no thanks were necessary.**  
**

* * *

_**Severus' Journal**_

Wednesday, August 23, 2006  
2:15 a.m.

I had no idea. None at all. I have been incredibly blind for so many years. How could I have taken something so important for granted? The simple touch of her hand, the warmth in her eyes – how have I made it this long without the affinity of another?

When I was on the balcony with my Leah tonight, I felt like I was breathing for the very first time, and as I watched her drive away, my chest felt uncomfortably tight, like I would not be able to draw breath again without her.

I am not a young man, I have a disturbing past and I am not sure what I can offer her, other than myself. Am I even worthy of her? Or what I feel? For now, I cannot help myself. I cannot stay away and will do whatever is necessary to be with her for as long as I can.

How will I ever be able to tell her the truth?

* * *

Leah could hardly contain herself at breakfast with James the next morning.

"James, what am I going to do? I haven't been back in the dating pool for very long. Is this just rebound? It feels like so much more than that, and I don't want to screw it up. If you could have been there last night on the balcony…what do you think?"

"So that _is_ where you were? _Minx._ It's true, you haven't been unattached for long, but that doesn't mean this isn't the real deal. Do you trust me, Leah?"

"You know I do. What?"

"This _is_ the real thing, please don't ask how I know. Take my word for it if you trust me as you say do. It's real. Severus is for real."

Leah reminded James of a firefly, lit from within.

"Well then, tonight should be interesting," she said, imperiously stirring her coffee.

* * *

Leah was daydreaming when there was a knock at her office door later that morning, and she looked up to see Severus standing in the doorway holding a lavish bouquet of yellow roses. No doubt James told him they were her favorite.

"Good morning. May I come in?"

_'Dear God, I love the sound of his voice.'_ Leah tried to stop herself from beaming at him, but it was no use.

"Please do."

"I thought I would come by and make our arrangements for tonight in person," Severus said, handing her the flowers. "And bring you these."

Leah wanted to close her office door and kiss him until he begged for mercy, but she restrained herself and said politely, "They're lovely. Thank you."

"I was thinking I would meet you here at the hotel, if that would be agreeable to you, of course. Shall we say six o'clock?"

"Perfect. We could walk somewhere for dinner if you want to," she offered.

"Actually, I have already arranged for transportation. So, I'll see you at six then?"

"Yes, I'll meet you in the lobby."

As Severus was leaving, she looked at her watch. _'Seven hours. I'm not sure if I can wait that long.'_

* * *

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Dear Albus and Minerva,

You have my apologies for not sending you this update sooner. Severus and I have been busy. Or perhaps I should say that he and Leah have been busy. They have now officially met and things are going very well.

I had no idea that Severus could be so suave! I know you may not believe this, but I actually witnessed him kissing her hand when they first met. If he was taken with her before even meeting her, he is surely besotted with her now. I think Leah has made him realize some important things that he took for granted in the past.

I do not know how he plans on telling her the truth, but I know he's not ready yet. For now, he has planned a very romantic date for this evening that will surely sweep her (even more) off her feet.

Very Sincerely Yours,  
James

* * *

After lunch, Leah decided to call Carmen and Dahlia and tell them about the appearance of her dark horse. When she got Carmen's voice mail, she decided to leave a quick message.

"Hey lady, call me when you get a minute. There's been a dark horse sighting."

Dialing Dahlia's number, Leah desperately hoped that her friend would answer, and after the second ring, she heard Dahlia's voice.

"Barbie's Dream House, how may I help you?"

"You wish. I'm so glad you picked up. Are you busy?"

"Leah, it's my office hours. I've got all the time in the world. You know no one ever comes to see me. I teach history, not sex ed. What's up?"

"There's been a dark horse sighting, although it was kind of hard to see clearly out on the balcony last night while we were making out."

"You little tart! Where did you find him?" Dahlia asked excitedly.

"He's James' house guest. British, Gothic, intense, incredible voice, like velvet. I'm seeing him again tonight."

"Good work. How long is he in town for?"

"Not sure. I'll get more practical info tonight and report back. He's amazing. I mean _really_ amazing. Major chemistry," Leah gushed.

"I'm so happy for you! I expect you to report back as things develop."

"You know I will. How are things with Sean?"

"You were right, Leah. I think he's the one!"

They chatted for a few more minutes before Dahlia had to teach her next class, and then said their goodbyes.

* * *

Leah was ready a few minutes early and was chatting with Margie at the front desk while she waited for Severus.

"Great dress! Count Dracula's going to love it. What are y'all doing tonight?"

"His name is Severus, Margie, and I imagine we're going to have dinner. Although I wouldn't mind so much if he did try and bite me, if you know what I mean," Leah sassed.

"Well, you'd better pull yourself together, because here he comes."

Leah watched as her dark horse strode into the hotel to collect her. Once again, he was devastating, dressed in solid black with his hair tied back at the nape of his neck. She watched him as he walked, confident and deliberate. Severus' hands fascinated her; a stark contrast to his dark clothing, they were elegant, strong and graceful.

"Good evening, Leah."

A chill ran down her spine. "Good evening to you, Severus. I'd like you to meet Margie, our front desk manager."

"Severus Snape," he said, extending his hand for her to shake.

"It's nice to meet you," she replied, accepting his gesture.

Severus turned his attention to Leah, putting his hand at the small of her back to silently command her. She automatically followed his direction, and as they were walking toward the door, Leah turned and made a swooning face back at Margie, who had to suppress her laughter. The bellboy opened the door for them and Leah stopped dead in her tracks.

_'Surely that's not for us,'_ she thought, gawking at the horse and carriage waiting by the sidewalk.

Severus led her to the carriage, opened the door and helped her in, then seated himself next to her, taking her hand in his.

"Where are we going?" she asked incredulously.

"That is a surprise," he said, smiling wickedly as the carriage pulled into the traffic.

Horse-drawn carriages were not unusual in Charleston; hundreds of visitors took carriage tours of the city every day, and locals were used to maneuvering around them in traffic. Some of the large hotels even had their own carriages that guests could arrange to use for a fee. It was nothing out of the ordinary to see a bride and groom riding through the city in one, and Leah always thought how charming it was to live in such a place, but she thought of carriages as vehicles for other people, for special occasions, never for her. She felt precious and pampered.

Leah looked over at Severus, took his face in her hands and kissed him fiercely, the heat from her lips nearly burning his. When she pulled back to look at him, it was evident that she had taken him quite by surprise.

"Thank you," she said earnestly. "This is incredible."

"You're very welcome. I wanted to do something unexpected."

As they made their way through the city, Severus and Leah talked, learning more about each other. He made sure to keep to the cover story he and James concocted – a chemistry professor visiting on holiday – other details were to be kept as vague as possible. Severus didn't like lying to her, but he couldn't see any other option for the time being.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked.

"No," he said, a hint of sadness tainting his voice. "I am an only child, and I don't have any family now. My parents died many years ago."

"I'm sorry. Were you very young when you lost them?"

"Yes. They were murdered when I was a teenager." He hadn't meant to say that much; it was too gruesome to bear at such a time, and he could tell that Leah was distressed by it. Severus saw the concern on her face for his pain. He never spoke about his parents as his guilt was far too great, and he couldn't say what made him reveal it then. "I'm sorry, Leah. I didn't mean to upset you. Tell me about your family."

Leah's pained expression passed slowly as she squeezed his hand in hers. She could tell that he was like an iceberg, with most of his substance hidden below the surface, full of mysteries. She complied with his request and changed the subject to her large and overwhelming family.

By the time they approached the edge of the peninsula, Severus knew all about them and her upbringing; she even told him about her lake house. Of course, he already knew most of it, but he loved hearing it from her. It was personal information, and he was pleased that she gave it to him so freely.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "What do you have planned for dinner?"

"I thought you might enjoy a picnic. It's supposed to be a pleasant evening." Leah's face lit up as he spoke.

"How wonderful of you," she said slowly and seductively. Severus could feel himself surrendering once again.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The carriage stopped at White Point Gardens, and Severus collected a large picnic basket from the carriage driver. He set it down on a bench before taking Leah's hand and helping her down from the carriage. Retrieving the basket from the bench, he looked curiously at Leah. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

Pointing at the bench, he said, "I see this color everywhere, not quite black and not exactly green. Do my eyes deceive me?"

"That would be Charleston Green. After the Civil War, the North supplied the city with black paint for the reconstruction effort. That would have made for a lovely city, don't you think?" she said sarcastically. "Not to be defeated so easily, Charleston decided to make the color her own and beat the Yankees at their own game. At least, that's how I always heard it, and as you have noticed, we proudly use it wherever we can to this day. Sneaky, don't you think?"

"Incredibly."

"I am not too surprised that you noticed the color. You seem to be into details."

Severus nodded in response, wearing a sly smile as the crushed oyster shells crunched under their feet. They walked the path regarding one another and scouting for a spot to spread their blanket on the grass. Across the street, a mixture of visitors and residents walked along the Battery looking out at the harbor and going about their own individual business. Leah thought of all the times over the years she had been there, all the way from childhood to that night. All of the experiences enjoyable, but none as extraordinary as that particular one.

After selecting a shady spot, Leah spread out the blanket and began to unpack the basket while Severus poured two glasses of champagne.

"What shall we toast to?" Leah asked.

"To James, a gracious host and a good friend." Severus nodded at her and they both drank.

Leah regarded him with a look of concern. "Severus, how long are you planning on staying in Charleston?"

He loved to hear Leah say his name; she spoke it as though it was honey on her lips.

"The next term begins the first of September, but I have someone to cover my classes if I have not returned by then."

"You didn't answer my question," she said matter-of-factly.

"I know. The truth is that I have not decided when I will be going back."

"I see. Perhaps you'll find a reason to postpone your return," she said hopefully.

"Perhaps I already have," Severus said, leaning in to kiss her.

They spent the evening lounging on their picnic blanket and talking under the enormous oak trees of White Point Gardens. Severus was completely captivated by Leah and his surroundings. It would have been a great injustice to say that Charleston was merely a special place.

It was a place where history lived; a place that still counted ladies and gentlemen in its number. Children of affluent families attended cotillion to learn how to dance and behave at social functions. Men in seersucker suits and ladies in hats walked proudly to their grand houses of worship on Sunday mornings.

Charleston was a place where tradition was honored and protected, arts and culture were cherished and ghost stories encouraged. The past and present mingled in the air with the scent of Confederate jasmine, and he was there with his angel, his savior.

Severus had no doubt that Leah was the only one who could save him from himself. She was the only woman he had ever known that made him feel this way, blithe and fortunate.

Leah, too, felt blessed on that warm, August evening; she never felt safer in her life than she did with Severus. She savored the strength and prowess that radiated from him and was easily seduced by it.

Severus and Leah were quiet on the return trip as their lips were otherwise engaged for part of the journey. When they did speak, they did so softly.

"Severus, you aren't seeing anyone else are you? At home, I mean."

Surprised by her question, he released a silent laugh into the night air. "You don't mince words, do you? No, Leah, I am not seeing anyone else, at home or anywhere. Just you."

Hearing him say her name and her favorite two words in the same breath was almost more than she could bear. Severus saw the look in her eyes and pulled her close; he could have branded her with the intensity he felt.

Leah was glad they were in public or she might have done something rash.

When they stood once again before the Jasmine Courtyard Hotel, Leah began to say goodnight to Severus while the carriage pulled away from the curb.

"Are you trying to bid me good evening?" he inquired.

Caught off guard, as that had been exactly what she was doing, Leah asked, "Well, yes. Did you have something else planned?"

"Did you think that I would let you walk to your car alone at this hour?"

"I hadn't really thought about it to be honest," she lied. "That's very gallant of you, but I'm a big girl, and I'm used to walking to my car alone. I do it every day."

"That may have been so before, but I will not allow it now that I know…now that I know you. I would never let anything happen to you on my watch."

"On your _watch_? What are you, a guard dog? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you. Good evening, Severus," Leah said coolly before she turned and marched off toward the parking garage.

"I don't think so. Leah…," he called after her.

By the time he caught up to her, she was already inside the parking garage and waiting at the elevator. Leah heard him coming and saw him out of the corner of her eye as he approached. The elevator doors opened and Leah jumped in, hoping to out run him.

She was livid. How dare he suggest that she couldn't take care of herself? _'Last night was sweet, but this is ridiculous,'_ she thought.

Severus caught the elevator door just before it closed and pried it open to allow himself entry.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, glaring daggers at him.

"I'm trying to keep you safe. Why are you being so stubborn?" he demanded.

"I should ask you the same thing," she said, pounding on the button to go to the sixth floor.

"_Me_? Honestly, woman, you're the one being stubborn. Why are you resisting me when you know you want someone to protect you?"

He could see that he touched a nerve, but to Leah's credit, she didn't back down an inch.

"What? Did James tell you that? How _dare_ he assume—," she ranted as he cut her off.

"This has nothing to do with James. I know you better than you think, Leah. I know you better than any man ever will. Why are you making it so difficult for me to give you what you want?"

Leah scowled back at him, vibrating with anger, unable to say a word. At that moment, something inside her snapped and her protective wall dropped. All at once, she was a woman without modesty or inhibition; she was a hungry, greedy creature of impulse.

She threw herself at him with all of her fury, throwing her arms around him and kissing him violently.

Severus responded with the same force, and they crashed into the elevator wall. They were on fire, both gasping for air as they attacked each other.

Leah's nails were digging into Severus' back when she realized how right he was; she did want someone to protect her, and he was just the man to do it. Somehow, he knew exactly how to break through her defenses and cut her to the quick. It was a previously unaccomplished feat, and she reveled in it.

The elevator was slow, but not quite slow enough for their taste. When the doors opened, several people were waiting on the sixth floor to greet them. Severus and Leah were torn from their delirium by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Collecting themselves, they did their best to exit the elevator without looking anyone in the eye. Leah, however, was unsuccessful, and she noticed Walter Stanton, her newly hired Sales Manger, staring at her in shock.

"Good evening, Walter," she said cordially as she passed him.

Her dark horse was staring at her hungrily, clenching and unclenching his fists, obviously as excited by what just happened as she was.

"Well, Severus, my car is this way if you would like to escort me," she said imperially, trying to cover how bewildered she was. How did he know what she needed when even she hadn't known? How could he have been so right? She regarded him suspiciously as they got to her car.

"Severus, please let me drop you at James' house."

He nodded and got into her car wearing an intolerably smug look. He liked winning.

Neither of them spoke during the short trip. When she stopped outside James' house, Severus reached over to open the car door and found it locked; it was Leah's turn to be smug now, and she regarded him with a satisfied expression.

Taking his hand, she looked him in the eye. "Severus, thank you."

"You're quite welcome. May I call you tomorrow?" he said, trying to restrain himself as he heard her unlock the doors.

"Please do."

Still holding her hand, Severus turned it over and kissed the soft flesh of her palm before exiting the car swiftly.

"Tease," he heard Leah say under her breath as the car door closed.

_**Soundtrack Entry #7 – Crashed – Daughtry  
**_

* * *

**Authors Note:** If you're reading, I hope you're enjoying! A huge thank you to my readers, a small, but elite group:) If you would like to join, I have good news -- Memberhip is free! All you need to do is click on that darling little button and leave me a review. Hope to hear from you! -MinnKota 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

As soon as she got to work the next morning, Leah visited Walter's office and found him at his desk. She entered, closing the door behind her.

"Good morning, Walter. Could I have a word?"

"Certainly, what's on your mind?" he said, looking very entertained.

"You know good and well what's on my mind," she said, red-faced.

"I do. Sorry, I couldn't resist playing with you a bit. Don't give it another thought, I haven't said a word to anyone and I won't."

"Walter, thank you so much. I really don't want you to get the wrong impression about me. I'm not usually that…reckless."

"Don't worry about it. I have three children, Leah, I know how it works," he said with a smile.

* * *

"Have a nice evening?" James asked when he saw Leah appear in his doorway. 

"Yes, why, what did he say?" she asked, mildly flustered.

"Nothing, but it must have been good. I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon, Leah, but I knew you would flip over the carriage."

"It wasn't just the carriage, James, I don't understand it. It's like he can read my mind," she said. "And we _so_ got caught making out in the elevator in the parking garage by Walter Stanton, although he just promised he wouldn't say anything."

James had to cover his mouth, and Leah had to close his door to keep everyone from hearing his enthusiastic laughter.

"James, it's not funny!" she said as she began to laugh with him.

* * *

A short while later, Leah's office phone was ringing. 

"Leah Manning," she answered.

"Hi, sweetie, it's Mom. I just wanted to make sure you were coming for dinner tonight, we missed you last week while you were at the lake."

"Thanks, the usual time?"

"Mmm hmm. Same as always, see you tonight."

_'Crap,'_ she thought as she hung up, _'I completely forgot about family dinner night.'_

Every Thursday night, Leah and her brothers ate dinner at their parent's house; it was a standing engagement ever since she left the house to live at college. It was the only way to keep up with everyone, and Leah usually looked forward to it.

Her phone rang again just before lunch, and this time, she had a feeling it was Severus.

"Good morning, Miss Manning," she heard his mellifluous voice say.

"Good morning, Professor Snape. And how are you today?"

"I am quite well, and yourself?"

"Famished, actually. What can I do for you?"

"You can tell me that you're free this evening," he purred.

"Unfortunately, that's not something I can do. I'm having dinner with my family. We have dinner every Thursday, and I missed last week because I was out of town."

"Pity. Have you had lunch yet? Perhaps I could do something about your immediate hunger."

"What did you have in mind?" Leah asked, her mind wandering into dangerous territory.

"Why don't you come over here to James' house and have lunch with me. We could eat outside in the garden if you like."

"That would be lovely. Would 1:00 be alright?"

"I'll be waiting."

After Leah hung up, she got an idea and went directly to James' office to confer with him. It wasn't a very ladylike idea and would require some lying, but if everything went well, the end would justify the means.

* * *

When Severus met her at the door, Leah felt serene and very much in control of her destiny, especially since completing the arrangements to carry out her plan. She would issue the invitation over lunch. 

"Leah," he purred, pulling her to him as he kissed her hello.

"Yes, Severus," she replied with a hint of triumph in her voice, intoxicated by his scent. Leah couldn't place exactly what it was.

He simply shook his head in response and gestured toward the garden. Leah happily followed his direction and made her way through the house. James' house was decorated in a very traditional, "Masterpiece Theater" style. Oriental rugs, dark wood, shelves of books, lovely antiques. There was even an ornate silver tea set displayed on the large, mahogany sideboard in the dining room, and Leah loved the way the sun glinted on its lovingly polished surface.

"Severus, would you be interested in going away with me for the weekend?" she asked nonchalantly as they began to eat.

"Are you sure that's wise? I would hate to make you look any _more_ improper than I already have."

They both knew exactly what the possibilities included if he accepted her invitation. Severus was encouraged by her advance, but he was worried about how quickly things were happening. He had emotional baggage that she couldn't even imagine, and he didn't think he couldn't bear it if she had any regrets associated with him. Before Leah arrived for lunch, Severus felt in control of himself and the situation, but now, Leah's invitation left him off balance and he knew he was at her mercy.

"I can take the heat if you can." Leah surveyed him and said plainly, "Severus, I've waited my whole life to meet someone who makes me feel the way you do. Somehow you know me better than anyone I've ever met, and I won't deny what I feel. I know this seems rather impulsive given how long we've known each other, but I'm not going to hide my feelings from you. You'll either accept or not."

"And if I don't accept?"

"Then you'll miss spending the weekend with me, I guess," she said airily.

"It seems I have no choice in the matter, but Leah, I hope you already have _some_ idea how I feel about you."

"Why don't you tell me just so I can be sure?"

Severus looked at her like he was Superman and she was kryptonite.

Reaching across the table and taking her hands, he said in earnest, "You are the woman I have always dreamed of."

It was more than Leah dared hope for. She knew things were moving dangerously fast, but was not willing to slow them down. She wasted years on men who weren't half as perfect for her as her dark horse, and now that she had him in her sights, there was no way she was letting him go. Consequences be damned.**  
**

* * *

_**Severus' Journal**_

Thursday, August 24, 2006  
2:30 p.m.

I have accepted Leah's invitation to join her at her lake house this weekend. We leave tomorrow during the late afternoon and return on Sunday. There is no way that I could refuse any offer my Leah made me, and I am very much looking forward to being alone with her in the place I have always seen her in my dreams. It infuriated me to see her there last weekend and not physically make myself known to her.

I would like nothing in the world more than to take her to bed, but I confess that crossing such a physical threshold worries me. I cannot tell her the truth this soon. I wouldn't even know where to begin. How will I ever be able to refuse her if she does try and seduce me? My resolve is incredibly weak in her presence.

There were many things I wanted to say to her today, but I could not make myself utter the words. It was too great a risk. I am already more vulnerable than I would have thought possible, and as much as I want her, I fear that I will not be able to tell her the truth about who I am. How could I allow myself to have her if I cannot even bring myself to tell her the truth?

_**Soundtrack Entry #8 – You Took Advantage of Me – Carmen McRae**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

When Leah pulled up at her parent's house later that night, she saw her mother through the kitchen window putting the final touches on dinner and her father and three brothers in the front yard throwing a football. All was well.

Leah was the oldest of four children. Having three younger brothers was not always easy, but Leah loved her big family. She and the boys were each three years apart, all born in June, none on the same day, but four birthdays in one month was busy for any family. Brandon, 27, was an engineer; Matt, 24, was in dental school; and Jamie, 21, was in college getting a business degree.

No one was married yet, but her parents were already getting restless for grandkids.

Leah's parents, Dave and Ginny, met in law school – having two attorneys as parents was also not easy. Her father specialized in real estate law and had a mischievous streak. Dave Manning was a family man who had a quiet power about him. Her mother was a divorce attorney with an impressive record, a force to be reckoned with when the occasion called for it, but Ginny Manning also excelled at the subtle art of persuasion. She was fierce in her defense of what she though was right, no matter what the situation.

Growing up with such a family equipped Leah with a sharp eye for detail, powerful persuasive skills and the strength to hold her own in any company. She was a pro at debates, although most people generally called them arguments. She also acquired her mother's quick temper, which Severus already had the pleasure of experiencing first hand.

Waving to her father and brothers, Leah made her way into the house. "Hey, Mom. Can I help?"

"No, I think everything's just about ready. Why don't you sit down and tell me how the gala went. It must have gone exceptionally well, you look…radiant." Mrs. Manning looked eagerly suspicious. "Have you met someone?"

"Yeah, right, Mom. That's just my bronze glow from being at the lake with the girls."

"If you say so. Oh, your father told me about James using the lake house this weekend. I want you to tell him to feel free to let us know any time he wants to use it. He's always been such a good friend to you, I'm glad for him to go up and stay whenever he'd like, OK?"

"Thanks. I'll tell him. He's excited about going up this weekend," Leah lied.

She hated to lie to her parents, but they would seriously frown upon her taking an "older" man, who they would say she "barely knew", up to the house for a romantic weekend. Leah could hear her mother saying that she was just "asking for trouble", even though she knew that Severus would never hurt her. Leah updated her mother on how Carmen and Dahlia were doing while the preparations for dinner were completed.

"Brandon, you didn't tell me you ran into Ben when you were up at the lake fishing," Leah said as they sat down to dinner.

"Oh yeah, Dad and I saw him in town. I really like him, Leah."

"Well, maybe you should ask him out sometime. And thanks for telling him about Will and me," she crooned in a nasty-sweet voice. "Could you please only tell people about that on a need to know basis? I'm embarrassed enough as it is."

Leah felt more than she saw the reproachful look her mother gave her. Clearing the table, Mrs. Manning pulled her daughter aside. "You know, you really need to apologize to Brandon. He loves you, and he's very protective of his only sister. You know that."

"I know, Mom. I was already planning on apologizing."

Leah caught Brandon out on the porch before she left and made her apology.

"I know he's a good guy, Brand. I just don't see him being the one, but it's cute that you're so surly," she said, teasing her brother. "I'm sorry I jumped down your throat about it."

"Lee, you know I'm just looking out for you. I want to see you happy and I think Ben's a good guy, that's all."

* * *

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Dear James,

We were delighted to hear your news! Things seem to be progressing nicely, but there was one thing we were worried about. Does Severus seem to be overcome by his feelings at all? Can you tell? Albus was worried that he might try to run if things got too intense for him to handle. Perhaps you could keep an eye out for that? If he seems overwrought, you may need to reassure him to keep him steady.

We don't mean to worry you as he has never run from a fight before, but this is quite a different situation. His honor may get in the way this time.

Kindest Regards,  
Albus and Minerva

* * *

It was after supper when James realized that Sadie was back with the letter. After reading it, he was worried, especially considering the day's developments; Severus seemed eager to spend the weekend with Leah, but James could tell that he had some reservations. He decided to try and have a talk with him before they retired for the night.

Going downstairs to find Severus, James instead found a note waiting for him on the counter.

**Gone for a walk. Don't wait up. –Severus**

Reading this, James was worried indeed.

* * *

At her house that night, Leah was packing her things for the weekend when her phone rang with a call from Carmen.

"I take it you got my message?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, sorry, I was out of town at a meeting. So, tell me about him."

"Severus is incredible. He's older, tall, delicious voice, intense, he's a chemistry professor. And, oh yeah, did I mention British?" Leah said, baiting her. She knew Carmen would be over the moon for a man with an accent.

"What?! Lucky duck! So, how's it going?"

"Well, two lovely dates, and we had lunch today. There's major chemistry. I'm sneaking him up to the lake for the weekend." Leah waited for what she knew was coming.

"Leah, be careful," Carmen said gravely. "You barely know him, and you're taking him out of town? Overnight? I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"I knew you would say that, and while I appreciate your concern, let me assure that I have the situation well in hand."

"Well, just be careful. Maybe you should program Ben in on your speed dial just in case you need back-up. You know he'd be there in a skinny minute if you needed him."

"Carmen, I really don't think that will be necessary, but I'll take it under advisement."

After saying goodbye to her friend, Leah finished packing her things and laid out her clothes for the morning. She was leaving straight from work with Severus and needed to have everything ready to go in the morning.

* * *

James fell asleep before Severus came back from his walk, but he did hear him come in around 1:00. Deciding that the middle of the night would not be a good time for a discussion, he let Severus go to bed in peace and set his sights on a talk over breakfast.

James made sure to make lots of noise while preparing breakfast in order to wake his guest. He knew he was successful when he saw Severus stumbling down the steps looking annoyed.

"Good morning, did I wake you?" James asked cheerily.

"Something on your mind, James?" Severus inquired, rubbing his eyes.

Selecting a piece of bacon for himself, James asked, "Are you OK? With this weekend and everything, I mean."

"Yes," Severus said slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you weren't getting overwhelmed or anything. This is a big step and I was worried by your note last night," he confessed.

"Everything's fine, James," he declared as James eyed him suspiciously.

For a Muggle, James was rather proficient at hiding his thoughts from Severus when he wanted to, and at that moment, James was thinking that their talk hadn't gotten him anywhere.

* * *

James visited Leah's office first thing on Friday morning; closing the door behind him, he said, "So, are we all packed?"

"Yup, everything's in the car. I'll need to run by the grocery store once we get up there, but I'm all ready. And how is my dark horse this morning?"

"He's ready. He missed you last night, I could tell."

"James, do you think I'm doing the right thing?" she asked, worry marring her features.

"Why? Are you feeling uncomfortable with it?" James asked with concern.

"No, but I got a lecture last night from Carmen and I can see where she's coming from. If I were her, I would have lectured me, too. I guess what I'm asking is if all this is in my head. Tell me again that he's for real," Leah begged.

"Leah, Severus _is_ for real. I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. And you don't need to feel nervous about being alone with him, he'd never hurt you."

"I know, I'm more afraid that I'll do something to hurt him. You know how I am."

"Do you mean smart, gorgeous…or in love? All of the above, perhaps?" he said knowingly.

Leah flopped forward in her chair, putting her forehead on her desk and letting out a long breath.

"Leah, everything's going to be fine, just take your time and don't push him for too much too soon. He's had a very different life than you have, and he may need more time than you before he can put into words what he's feeling."

"What are you trying to say, James? What do you know that you're not telling me?" she demanded.

"Unfortunately, it's not for me to tell. Severus will tell you when he's ready. It's not nearly as serious at it sounds," he lied. "He cares for you a great deal, Leah. Take comfort in that. I don't mean to scare you."

"Well, that's just great. This secret isn't putting me in any danger, is it?"

"No, not at all," James replied strenuously. "I would never be a party to that. You know I've got your back."

"I know. I'm sorry, James. I didn't mean to snap at you, this has been a long week, that's all."

"I know, honey, but you have a nice long weekend ahead of you," he said with a smile. "That reminds me, are you planning on going swimming this weekend?"

"Of course I am. We _are_ going to a lake. Duh?"

"Well, it took some really fast talking on my part, but he's packed swim trunks. You'd better make sure you've got your sunglasses and _lots _of sunscreen. He's even whiter than you are, if that's possible," James teased. "I don't think a severe sunburn would make for a very romantic time."

"Got it covered, you know I'm the sunscreen queen. So, you don't think he'll be bashful about going swimming with me? I'd expected that. He seems pretty modest. I've never seen him in anything other than long sleeves, and it's August, for crying out loud!"

"Leah, he'd walk all the way to the lake across hot coals if you asked him to, but that's not to say that he's not self conscious. Be kind, he might not respond well to teasing."

"Trust me, I'll be gentle. And if he still resists, I'll lure him with an offer to apply some sunscreen," she said with determination.

"Temptress. I should have known you'd have every angle covered."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Leah waved goodbye to James and cranked up the air conditioner as she and Severus drove away from the house on Friday afternoon.

"I missed seeing you last night," Leah said while they made their way toward the interstate.

"I missed you as well. I took a long walk after dinner to occupy myself." Severus paused thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "Leah, I want you to know that I am not going away with you with any…expectations."

Leah regarded him affectionately. "I know you're not, and neither am I. Let's just enjoy the weekend and whatever happens, happens, OK?"

"Alright," he said quietly. "May I ask what we are listening to?"

"Oh, it's salsa. You know, Latin dance music?" She could see by his expression that he did not. "We can listen to something else if you like, I brought Evanescence."

"Thank you," he said looking relieved.

Leah made a note in her mental Rolodex, _'OK, no salsa music'_.

"What kind of music do you like, Severus?"

"James usually has classical music in his CD player, and I find that tolerable. I am not very familiar with American music."

"Well, I brought lots of different CDs, so we'll just see what you like. After this one's over, I'll surprise you and you can let me know if you like it or not."

"I am always surprised by you, Leah."

Severus had heard Leah sing before, in his dream and in the flesh less than a week prior, but he was still surprised when she sang unabashedly to whatever song she felt like during their drive. Her voice was by far not the best he ever heard, but she was obviously not concerned with it. Leah sang because she enjoyed it, and she was nearly radiant with the pleasure it brought her. It was a foreign concept to him, simply to do something for the joy of it, unconcerned with the opinion of others.

She noticed him studying her with a curious and entertained expression halfway through The Cure's "Just Like Heaven". "Sorry. Does my singing bother you? I'll stop if you want. I know my voice is awful."

"By all means, continue. I can see that you are enjoying yourself."

"I'm pretty bad, though, aren't I?" Leah asked evenly, testing him.

"You're terrible, but your smile is well worth it."

Leah stuck her tongue out at him playfully and continued as her favorite part of the song began. She knew singing was not a talent that she possessed, but was glad to see that Severus did not shy away from being honest with her. She hated being humored and always preferred the truth, even if it was not kind.

Around 6:00, Leah pulled off the interstate onto an exit labeled "Road 108 – Summerton". "I hope you're hungry. I thought I would take you to one of my favorite places for dinner before we go to the house."

"James said that you would probably bring me here. The diner?"

"Very good, Professor Snape. I see you've done your homework."

_'You have no idea'_, Severus thought to himself.

Leah saw an empty corner booth and waved to get Betty's attention, gesturing toward the open seats.

"Leah, hey! Go ahead and take the booth. I'll be over in a minute."

She took Severus' hand and led him through the diner. He noticed that the small restaurant was very busy and full of casually dressed people of varying ages. He also noticed how excited Leah was to be there and was glad she wanted to share something with him that she loved so much.

"Leah, here's your tea. And what can I get _you_ to drink?" Betty asked, looking curiously, but politely at Severus. Southern hospitality and all.

"Unsweetened tea would be fine."

_'What I wouldn't give for a glass of pumpkin juice right now,'_ he thought. _'Or even a butterbeer.'_ Truth be told, Severus didn't really care for either, but he was beginning to miss the comfort of familiar things.

Betty left a couple of menus for them as she went to get the other glass of tea; Severus was glad James taught him about southern food or he would have been absolutely lost. As it was, he enjoyed his meal with Leah and they shared a large piece of coconut cake for dessert.

When Betty left the bill, Severus quickly grabbed it before Leah could.

"Severus, you're my guest, let me pay."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. My apologies."

As they were pulling away from the diner and Leah was changing the CD, Severus noticed a couple of men getting out of a green truck in the parking lot behind them. Giving them a second glance in the side mirror, he realized that one of them was Ben, and he suddenly felt incredibly grateful that _he_ was the one there with Leah.

They were on their way to the house after a quick trip to the Piggly Wiggly, which Severus learned was a grocery store. Severus brought everything inside while Leah turned on the air conditioner and put the groceries away. He left their luggage in the hallway outside the bedrooms, as he wasn't sure how exactly she wanted to handle the sleeping arrangements.

"Severus, you can put your bags in the blue bedroom there and mine can go in the green one. Thank you for carrying everything in."

Severus nodded silently at Leah. He wanted to be a courteous guest, but wasn't sure what to say next. Luckily, Leah was an attentive hostess.

"Hey, I'm almost done here. Why don't we have a bevvy out on the porch while it's getting dark."

After moving their luggage, Severus walked into the kitchen to find Leah pouring two glasses of Madeira. He took one of the glasses and Leah's hand, leading her through the den and out onto the porch. They settled themselves on the wrought iron love seat and Severus followed Leah's example, putting his feet up on the table after Leah set down her glass.

"It feels very isolated here. I like it."

"That _was_ the general idea," she replied.

Severus set down his glass, took her face in his hands and kissed her for the first time since lunch the previous day. Leah had been dying to kiss him since ever she picked him up earlier, but the opportunity never presented itself. Now that she could taste him once again, she felt completely satisfied; her dark horse was all she hoped he would be.

It was dark now, and as they sat on Leah's porch kissing, Severus thought how much things had changed over the past few weeks. He went from the Severus Snape he knew to someone new, still himself, but different. This new person didn't take things for granted, he wasn't alone and he was starting to believe that the impossible was possible.

"Leah, what have you done to me?"

"I could ask you same thing, you know," she said as she pulled him close, laying her head on his shoulder and putting her arms around his waist. "I hope you don't think I usually take men I just met away for the weekend."

"Yes, James said this was highly irregular behavior for you, but he also said that you don't hesitate to ask for what you want. So, I've decided to take it as a compliment."

"Good, he's right on both points."

They held each other silently, breathing slowly, stretching out the moments. Leah felt his heart beating against her and wondered how many other women had done the very same thing with him. She wasn't jealous; she knew he was a good bit older than her and she didn't begrudge him his life before they met. However, surrounded by Severus' warmth and his comforting scent, Leah swore to herself that she would do whatever was necessary to make sure she was the last woman to feel his heartbeat in such a way.

"Severus, what kind of cologne do you wear? It's nice."

"I wouldn't really call it cologne. It is essential oil of clary sage."

Leah wore an especially amorous expression. "You don't remind me of Christmas dinner at all."

Severus was amused, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "That is because this is a different type of sage, not the kind you cook with."

"I don't find you any less delicious," Leah said as she moved in for another taste of her dark horse.

They reluctantly said goodnight a short while later, retiring to their separate bedrooms.

Leah woke early the next morning to find Severus sitting on the porch dressed in a black, long-sleeved t-shirt and dark green pajama bottoms. She was glad to see that he was casual because she was also still in her pajamas, a pink tank top and lavender and pink flowered pajama pants. Her hair was loose, just as his was.

She stepped out onto the porch and decided to push the boundaries of the situation. Leah walked up behind him and ran her hands over his shoulders and down onto his chest; Severus immediately turned his head, regarding her with a raised eyebrow. She slowly moved in and kissed him, nibbling on his bottom lip.

"Good morning, Severus."

"I would say so."

Leah walked around the chair and settled herself in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him once again. She could feel his arms around her waist and his heartbeat quickening along with hers.

She pulled back to look at him and said in a sultry voice, "I'm a morning person."

Surveying his Leah, Severus thought she never looked more beautiful. He loved that she trusted him to see her in such a casual state and wondered what it would be like to see her like this every morning. Her casual trust sparked the fire of realization within him. Did he not also trust her? After all, he was her captive in almost every way imaginable, willingly sitting before her in his pajamas. It was perplexing; Severus Snape trusted no one.

He was distracted from this disturbing train of though by Leah's fingers intertwining with his.

"What did you have in mind for us to do today?" he asked.

"I thought we could have a lazy morning, maybe watch a movie and go swimming later?"

"What would you like to watch?"

"Well, since I'm not sure what kind of movies you like, why don't you look through what I brought and choose one? Any of them would be fine with me."

Leah brought several different movies with her as a test to see what he would choose. There was _Stand By Me_, _The Phantom of the Opera_, _Tombstone_, _Much Ado About Nothing_ and _Napoleon Dynamite_.

After reviewing them carefully, he held up The Phantom for her approval.

"Really?" Leah said, stunned.

"You don't think I'll like it?"

"It's not that, it's just that it's a musical. You know that means it's full of songs, right?"

"It may surprise you to know that we have music in England, too," Severus replied sarcastically.

"Well, it's one of my all time favorites, so you don't have to ask me twice," she said as she took it from him and put it in the DVD player. "I would never turn down a Gothic hero."

Severus heard her thinking how glad she was that he picked it and wondered why. He read the basic premise of the story on the case, and it didn't seem that earth shattering to him.

They settled next to each other on the couch while the movie started.

'How many times has she seen this?' he thought as she mouthed most of the words along with the characters.

He watched Leah roll her eyes when Raoul, the handsome viscount, came on screen and how her face changed when the Phantom appeared to Christine and led her below the opera house. Rapture may have been an understatement.

Why didn't she react this way to Raoul? Wasn't he the handsome prince of this scenario? But as he watched, Severus could sense how much Leah loathed Christine and how foolish she thought she was.

"I can't believe she leaves him and goes off with Raoul," Leah said, wiping away a stray tear during the credits.

"It's fiction, Leah. Why does it affect you so much? Isn't the fair maiden supposed to end up with the handsome prince? That's how fairy tales work," he said, curious.

"The Phantom loves her like no one else ever could. He knows how to move her and speak to her soul. It makes me sad to see him send her away at the end. Even though it hurts him, he does it because he doesn't think he's worthy, but that's exactly what he's proving by sending her away." Leah paused for a minute before saying angrily, "Christine's a coward who'll live a lifetime of regret, and it serves her right for being such an idiot."

"Well, I see you've thought this through," he said trying not to laugh.

"You best back up off my Phantom." Leah's voice was full of challenge. "Give me a mysterious man in a cloak any day."

"You're very strange."

"Yeah," she answered, smiling and nodding her head. "And you love it. Hey, wanna go swimming?"

"Alright," he lied, full of dread. Severus was terrified to parade himself in front of her in the swim trunks James forced him purchase. It made him feel incredibly vulnerable, as he knew that he was a far cry from bronze god known as Ben.

_**Soundtrack Entry #9 – Just Like Heaven – The Cure**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Leah knew that Severus wasn't entirely comfortable with his current situation and decided to do her best to ease his suffering. His door was still closed when she called to him from the hallway wearing her black bikini.

"Severus, I hope you brought your sunglasses because I'm white as a ghost. Would you help me put some sunscreen on my back?" Her words were an open-ended invitation, one Leah hoped he would accept.

The door to his room opened, and Leah took in a slow breath at what she saw. He looked terribly uncomfortable, but decidedly defiant about it. Leah liked what she saw. She didn't care that he was pale; she found his body lean, strong and worthy of her attention. She loved that he was willing to present himself so vulnerably to her and planned to reward him handsomely for it.

"I can't reach. Could you be a dear?" Her batting eyelashes sliced through the air.

His reply was slow and deliberate as he took the bottle from Leah's outstretched hand. "With pleasure."

Leah made a conscious effort to keep her breathing steady and even as Severus' hands moved across her skin, rosy with delight. His touch was predictable from what she knew of him, controlled and precise, but as the moments ticked by, she could feel an infinitesimal quiver growing in his fingers that she knew threatened to take over his disciplined exterior. When he was finished, Leah opened her eyes, turned around and silently took the bottle from him, smiling devilishly now that it was her turn. Severus turned his back to her, thankful that Leah would not be able to see his expression. She was thorough, as she had experienced many serious sunburns growing up and didn't want her guest to be miserable later than evening.

Leah's ministrations were exactly the coercion Severus needed, and he felt the roots of addiction taking hold.

* * *

Severus watched Leah spread their towels on the floating platform at the end of the dock, the wind catching the edges as they drifted toward the weathered boards. 

"I'm getting in. Join me for a swim?" she asked.

He nodded at her in response and started toward the edge of the dock.

"You might want to back up," Leah said before she got a running start and cannonballed into the warm water, generating an impressive splash.

She popped up out of the water like an otter. "You _do_ know how to swim, right?"

"Well enough for this depth." The water reached Leah's shoulders as she stood on the sandy bottom.

_'Then hurry up and get in. I want to feel you against me,'_ she thought eagerly.

Severus quickly slid into the water, and before either of them had a chance to speak, their lips were otherwise occupied. His arms held Leah tightly against him as her hands tangled in his wet hair and her legs wrapped unconsciously around him.

_'**Dear God'**_, they thought simultaneously as they explored each other in the warm water.

Severus leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, catching his breath. He felt Leah's hand brushing the wet hair off of his cheek.

"Leah, do you remember what I said to you the other day in James' garden?"

"Yes," she whispered after kissing his earlobe.

"I meant it."

"You have no idea how…" Leah began to say, her voice trailing off as she turned to see a boat approaching. "What's _he_ doing here?" she asked angrily under her breath.

Leah didn't notice the full-on sneer that Severus wore when she released him and turned to confirm her suspicions. He knew exactly what Ben was doing here, and he wasn't going to allow it.

"Could you give me a minute, Severus?" she asked politely, but seriously, and it was clear from her expression that she had the situation well in hand. His interference would only make things worse.

Lifting herself out of the water and up onto the dock, she wrapped in a towel and shot Ben a venomous look as he turned off his boat engine. Severus was now on the dock as well, drying himself off and trying desperately to get a hold of the anger seething within him. How dare this _boy_ interrupt his time with Leah!

_'Give me a reason,'_ he thought as he looked at Ben.

"Ben, what a surprise to see you," Leah said, making it perfectly clear that it was a very unwelcome surprise, her glare much louder than her words.

"I saw your car pulling away from the diner last night and thought I would stop by and say hello, but I can see now that you have _company_."

"Exactly. Ben, this is Severus. Severus, this is Ben, an old friend."

The two men nodded hello to each other curtly, Ben from his boat and Severus from the dock with his hand placed possessively at the small of Leah's back.

"Leah, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ben asked.

She turned to look at Severus and saw that he wanted to tear Ben's head off. Her heart leapt.

In a diplomatic tone, meant only for the two of them, she pleaded, "Severus, would you mind terribly giving me a moment to get rid of him? I'd love a drink, and by the time you get back, he'll be out of our hair." Her large blue eyes turned him inside out with their simple request, and Severus found himself unable to refuse her.

He nodded to her and replied in a quiet, protective voice. "I'm here if you should need me."

"I know but, this is something _I _have to take care of."

He shot Ben a predatory look and grudgingly headed toward the house, not enjoying the feel of being reduced to a cabana boy.

Leah turned to Ben when Severus was out of earshot, her eyes and her heart as hard as steel. "May I ask what you're doing here if you saw me at the diner with someone else?"

"I wanted to make sure that you were alright. Leah, he's old enough to be your father!"

"Hardly, Ben," she said, rolling her eyes. "And while I appreciate your kind sentiments last weekend, I don't see how this is any of your business."

"You were nearly falling apart last Saturday, and now you're taking older men away for the weekend? Do your parents know that you're here?" Ben said, exasperated.

"They do _not_, and you're not going to tell them either. Ben, you'll just have to trust that I know what I'm doing. Everything is fine."

"If you say so, but if you need me, my cell is _always_ on," he offered.

"Fine, fine. Would you mind being overprotective somewhere _else_, please?"

"I'm going," he growled, clenching his teeth together. His face softened a bit and he added, "Be careful, Leah."

Looking back over his shoulder, Ben knew then that he had missed his chance with Leah, not just for today, but forever. He loved her, but never realized how much until that moment, when she was beyond his grasp.

Leah was halfway to the house when Severus appeared in the doorway, towel over his shoulder and drinks in hand.

"I'm so sorry about that. Thank you for letting me handle it. I hope it won't put a damper on our afternoon," Leah said, looking tense.

"So, you sent him away, then?"

"Of course I did. I didn't invite him here, and he's had his share of chances with me. I've known Ben for a long time – long enough to know he's not what I want." The tone of her voice left no room for doubt.

"Well then, shall we?" Severus said, offering his arm victoriously.

As they walked back out to the dock, mischief slowly crept across Leah's face. "You wanted to tear his head off, didn't you?"

"Actually, reducing him to a pile of smoldering ash would be more accurate."

Leah's only reply was an amorous smile and a long, appreciative look. As Severus replayed the conversation that was fresh in her mind, he heard Ben's comment about being old enough to be her father.

"Leah, does my age concern you?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"No. Why should it? Does _my_ age concern _you_?"

"Not in the least, but I can't help thinking I'm getting the better end of this deal. Seriously, how would your parents react if they met me? It would be a concern for them," he said.

"_When_ they meet you, they'll be fine. Once they see us together, it won't be an issue," Leah said confidently.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"We fit together. You can't feel it?" Leah asked, worried.

"You know I can, but that doesn't mean that they will."

"They'll know. Trust me." Leah's words were so sincere, Severus almost believed them.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of luxe. Hopeful, lithe hours where little was said and much was communicated. Severus and Leah returned from supper at the diner around 8:00, and walking out onto the porch, Leah saw a storm coming across the lake.

"Oh, this is perfect! Severus, do you like thunderstorms?"

"Very much."

"Will you come with me to the dock? I like to wait out there and watch them drift across the lake. There's something about the dark water and the wind and the thunder and lightning," she said, taking his hand and hurrying toward the fray.

As the wind moved in, Leah stood on the floating platform in front of Severus, holding his hands around her waist and resting her head back on his shoulder. Neither one spoke as the storm approached. There was no need.

The rough water churned, jostling the dock furiously. They faced the storm with brazen arrogance as the lightning and thunder moved in. Leah felt Severus turning her around to face him, and she threw her arms around his shoulders when she felt the rain.

As their lips met, a sudden strike of lightning obliterated the tree where Severus stood only days before, watching her from a distance. They kissed wildly, and as Leah began to unbutton his wet shirt, she felt his hands on her skin underneath hers.

They stood in the middle of a tempest, soaking wet, violently kissing and tearing at each other's clothing, caring nothing for danger they faced. Just as Leah threw Severus' wet shirt onto the dock, lightning struck the metal cleat mounted on the corner only a few feet from them. Severus immediately swept her into his arms and removed her from danger, striding purposefully toward the house.

He burst through the doorway carrying his Leah, and looking intensely into his dark eyes, she silently commanded him to take her. Leah meant it; she knew that once they made love, she would never be able to so much as look at another man without thinking of her dark horse. More than anything, Leah wanted to feel Severus' brand on her.

_**Soundtrack Entry #10 – Don't Fear the Reaper – Gus**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Severus laid Leah gently on the bed in his room and asked gravely, "Are you certain this is what you want?"

"Yes…Severus…it's always been you," she panted, as he pulled her hair to one side and covered her neck and shoulder in kisses. His breath on her skin was a delicious torture that sent electricity coursing through her. Her back arched involuntarily.

They didn't notice that the storm had knocked out the power as they removed the rest of each other's wet clothing and surrendered all to one another. The only power Severus was aware of then was how much he needed his Leah. She was all that mattered, all that would _ever_ matter to him, and he accepted then that he was helpless against what he felt for her. He could no longer delude himself – Severus Snape was in love.

Leah felt the same intensity, the same helplessness as Severus, and she gladly gave herself to him, body and soul. She delighted in his slow, meticulous affections. Every touch, every moment, every breath burned itself into her memory and bound her closer to him.

They moved together as one, fluidly, yet deliriously, and Severus felt like a child seeing the sky for the very first time, marveling at how clear and infinite it was – a precise echo of his feelings for Leah. He gave himself over to the moment, wrapping its warmth and promise around him.

As Severus and Leah lay together in silence, depleted and euphoric, he held her close, breathing in her scent, unable to utter a sound. His mind raced with thoughts of what he knew he should do, but every time he tried to speak, his throat closed up.

Leah sensed his need to tell her that he loved her, but she already knew. Everything had happened between them in the blink of an eye, and even Leah had a hard time wrapping her mind around it. Remembering James' advice, she put her hand to his mouth, looked at him serenely. "When you're ready…" she said, her words as gentle as a lullaby.

Leah was asleep within minutes, blissful in his arms, but Severus had never been more alert. He could no longer deny that he was in love, and it began to terrify him. The sheer vulnerability of the situation was almost too much to endure; he was now one of those fools he despised, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

As he admitted this to himself, he wondered how he would ever be able to give Leah what she deserved. She gave herself to him freely, asking for no promises or declarations, and he took her, offering nothing in return but secrets beneath his lies. This thought ate at him as he drifted off into a fitful sleep.**  
**

* * *

_**Severus' Journal**_

Sunday, August 27, 2006  
5:00 a.m.

What have I done? I have never experienced such sweet misery before tonight. She is an innocent, an angel, and I have tainted her with my lies and my fear. How could I have ever considered myself worthy of this?

I am guilty of many crimes, but surely the worst is not being able to tell my Leah that I love her when I know it to be true. She will be hurt when she learns the truth. She will never trust me again.

She will never understand, and she will never forgive me. I was a fool to think otherwise. She must never know who I truly am.

I do not deserve an angel. I must find the strength to set her free.

* * *

Leah woke early to find herself alone in Severus' bed. She rolled over to his pillow and breathed him in, smiling into the bedclothes. When she called out, he did not respond. Leah stood and wrapped herself in the sheet, noticing that his pajamas were no longer strewn across on the chair as they were earlier. She found him on the porch watching the dawn. 

"There you are," she said sleepily, brushing tousled hair out of her eyes. "Come back to bed, Severus. I want to feel you next to me."

He was, once again, thunderstruck by the woman who stood before him and knew that he would not be able to refuse her.

"Good morning, angel. I'll be there in a moment…just needed some air."

Leah knew peace when she felt Severus' climb back into bed and pull her close. He drank in everything about her, the feel of her against him, her scent, her face, her whispers meant only for his ears. He never wanted to forget any of it – it would have to last him for the rest of his life.

"Are you alright?" Leah asked, her face only inches from his and her hand sweeping his hair behind his ear.

"Better than alright," he lied.

"Severus, can we just stay here all day like this?"

"That was my plan," he said, taking her hands and kissing them. _'Please God, let this day last forever. I am not sure I will have the strength to let her go.'_

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," he replied, slightly worried.

"What happened to your arm?" she asked, indicating the place where his Dark mark lurked for so many years.

He knew it would come up eventually and was surprised when she didn't mention it the day before. Severus saw her notice the large, swirling scar on his arm, but the topic was purposely and politely left alone.

Before he could answer, she offered flippantly, "It was a tattoo, right? You were young and foolish and got some crazy tattoo on your arm when you were drunk one night, didn't you? It's such a cliché, but that's usually how they get there."

"Well, I _was_ young and _incredibly_ foolish, but I was not intoxicated. I'm ashamed to say now that I thought I knew what I was doing at the time."

"There's no need to be ashamed…everyone has things they wish they hadn't done. It's called _living_."

_'You might not feel so forgiving if you really knew my secrets,'_ he thought.

Despite her effort to ease his mind, Leah felt Severus' concern over his past and was reminded of James' mention of it. Silently taking his hand, she pulled it to her and lightly feathered kisses into his palm, across the bend of his wrist and down the inside of his forearm, blanketing the scar with warmth. With everything and nothing between them, she wasn't sure how else to make him understand.

Severus had never before experienced such total acceptance, and it threatened to overwhelm him. He knew he was wrong to spend the day in bed with Leah without telling her the truth, but each time he tried, he could not. So he did the only thing he could. Unable to utter the words, he followed her lead and said them with his actions, his body, his touch. Severus had a precise nature, and it served him well on that particular day. He spent hours worshiping every inch of her, seeing to her every need and storing every moment in his memory.

* * *

It was just before 5:00 when they pulled away from the house and began their quiet ride home. Severus was lost in his own thoughts, wondering how he was going to say goodbye to her. Each time he thought of it, his chest tightened. 

When they got out of her car in front of James' house, he held her close and kissed her gently as they said good night. Severus felt the need to handle her with care to make amends for his recklessness over the weekend.

"Severus, are you sure you're alright? You were awfully quiet on the way home."

"I was thinking about the weekend, savoring it," he lied. "Thank you for everything, angel." He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Leah replied. It was more of a question than a statement. Something wasn't right.

Severus nodded slowly in response, wondering whether he would be able to do what he felt he had to.

As she pulled away, Leah hoped whatever was bothering him would pass quickly and chalked it up to James' enigmatic comments about his past. She reminded herself that she would have to be patient and wait until he was ready to talk.

* * *

The two men stood in the doorway waving goodbye to Leah as she drove away, and it was clear to James that something had happened. He saw the look on Severus' face and knew he had some damage control to do. Albus and Minerva were right. 

Severus did his best to cover what he was feeling and appear as normal as possible, but he knew James suspected something.

"So?" James inquired.

"It was elysium," Severus replied calmly as he carried his bag inside.

James followed, wondering how he was going to find out what was going on.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk and then turn in early, James," he announced a short while later.

"Oh, alright. Severus, I'm here if you need to talk about anything. You know that, don't you?"

"I do."

With that, Severus headed out the front door wondering why everyone there always had to be so nice. It was infinitely easier to be callous when people despised him. He walked down Meeting Street toward the Battery reliving every detail of what he and Leah shared, the sheer grace of what he was given crushing his newborn heart.

Around 11:00, Severus found himself in front of the Jasmine Courtyard Hotel. He entered the lobby knowing exactly where he needed to go, but unable to remember the way. Luckily, he saw Margie at the front desk.

"Good evening," Margie said.

"Do you remember me?"

"Yes, of course, but Leah's not here right now," she replied, giving him a strange look.

"I should hope not. I was wondering if you would help me. Could you show me the way to the balcony that overlooks the street? I…I need to see it again and I'm not sure I could find my way without a guide."

"Certainly, I'll take you up," Margie said. Noticing the forlorn note in his voice, she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I am quite well," he lied, trying unsuccessfully to cover his pain.

Margie opened the door to the balcony and left him, as she could tell he wanted solitude.

Severus looked around, memorizing every detail of the balcony where he and Leah had first kissed. Thinking to himself that he would never again be there with her, he felt loss squeezing mercilessly at his lungs.

His legs seemed to be made of stone, but somehow he made his way silently through the hotel and back past the front desk, avoiding eye contact with the few people he passed.

* * *

_He was once again at the lake watching Leah on her dock. This time she was wrapped in a sheet, crouched at the edge by the water, weeping violently. He was standing at the far end of the dock and began to run to comfort her, ready to annihilate whoever had caused her such pain. But when he got close and tried to touch her, she could neither see nor hear him. She could not feel his touch or his embrace; he was a ghost, incapable of making contact with her. Severus could do nothing for her, and he cried out in pain and frustration like a wounded animal._

He woke with a start and saw that it was 8:45. James was already at work and he had to act fast. Finding the numbers he needed in the phone book, he made two calls, one to the airline and one for a taxi.

_**Soundtrack Entry #11 – Awake – Josh Groban  
Soundtrack Entry #12 – Do What You Have To Do – Sarah McLachlin**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Leah was restless at work the next morning, eager to talk with James. She was sure he would be able to help her figure out what was bothering Severus and how to handle it. The morning passed with no call from Severus, and she wondered if maybe he would show up and surprise her later. Despite her concerns, Leah couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

James had left his house early Monday morning to attend a meeting outside the hotel without having a chance to speak with Severus. He decided to go home for lunch and force him to talk about whatever had happened. There was no other option. 

He called around 11:30 and got no answer at his house. Worried, he raced home to see what was going on. _'Calm down, he's probably just in the shower or something. Everything will be fine. Take a deep breath,' _James told himself.

But when he called for Severus from the front door, there was no answer. He ran up the steps, taking them two at a time, to see if Severus was in his room and found what he had been dreading all morning – missing luggage. All of Severus' things were gone, and James' heart sank as he looked at the empty room.

"How could you do this!?" he cried out. Finding a note on the dresser, James picked it up and began to read it.

* * *

Monday, August 28, 2006 

James,

I apologize for the vulgar abruptness of my departure, especially after everything that you have done for me. I should have known that something so ridiculous would never work. Leah deserves a better man, and I can no longer deny that. While I find myself in sublime and somewhat desperate emotional territory with her, I cannot even bring myself to utter the words. She knows nothing of me but lies.

Trust me when I say that this is all for the best. Please watch over her for me. I can scarcely bring myself to think about how much this is going to hurt her.

Thank you for everything you have done. I have never had a better friend.

Severus

* * *

James' brow creased with worry for Severus at the distraught tone of his note. Shock made him stumble to a sitting position on the edge of the bed when he read his friend's ultimate confession. The sheer fact that he would leave it in writing spoke volumes about his mental and emotional state. 

After reading the letter, James immediately ran down to the kitchen to get some paper and scratch out a quick note to Albus and Minerva. Searching for a pen, he noticed a scrap of paper on the floor bearing Severus' handwriting.

* * *

Monday, August 28, 2006 

Dear Albus and Minerva,

You were right, and I failed to notice in time. Severus has run. I came home for lunch to find a very revealing note from him. He is on his way back to you and should be arriving at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow on Delta flight 58 at Gatwick Airport. He must have left in a hurry – I found his notes from his flight arrangements on the floor.

I am so sorry that I did not prevent this. Please tell me how I should proceed. I will have to go and tell Leah what's happened within the hour.

Very Sincerely Yours,  
James

* * *

After James sent Sadie off with the letter, he grabbed Severus' note and hurried to the hotel to see Leah. He was dreading this conversation and was torn about how much information to give away until he heard back from Albus and Minerva. 

James found Leah at her desk tapping a pen nervously on a steno pad.

"James, there you are! Is Severus OK? I haven't heard from him today."

"Actually, that's why I'm here," he said intensely, closing the door behind him.

"You're scaring me again. What?" she demanded.

"He's gone, Leah," James said solemnly, handing her Severus' note.

She read it with silent tears streaming down her suddenly ashen face. James' heart was almost as broken as hers at that moment.

"What happened this weekend?" he asked quietly.

Leah paused for a long moment. "I could see that he was trying to tell me after…but I told him to wait until he was ready. He seemed to be having a hard time and I was trying to give him space. I didn't need him to tell me he loved me because I already knew. Was that wrong?"

James made a pained face. "Oh, honey, no. You did the right thing. It's not you. He has other issues that _I'm_ sure you could handle, but I guess _he's_ not so sure. It's…complicated."

Reaching for a tissue to straighten herself up, she said in a surprisingly determined voice, "Well, he's not going to get rid of me that easily. I'm not going to just let him walk away without facing me." Leah quickly found her anger.

"If you can give me an hour or so to talk with my friends in England, I'll report back and we can plan your next step," he offered.

Leah nodded and James returned to his house to see if Sadie was back. Arriving home, he found her twittering around in the garden, carrying what he was looking for.

* * *

Monday, August 28, 2006 

Dear James,

Please do not blame yourself for what has happened. This is not your fault. Severus is a complicated man who requires special handling at times.

I am sure that Leah was hurt by the news, but Albus says you should expect her to follow after him. If this is correct, please give her the enclosed note to open once her journey is underway and reply to us with her flight information. I will meet her upon her arrival in London. I am not sure how you will explain that you came by the note, but we have full faith in your creative abilities.

Thank you for your assistance, James. Severus and Leah will thank you one day.

Kindest Regards,  
Minerva

P.S. If Albus in incorrect and she does not plan to follow Severus, please advise as to her condition.

* * *

When Margie came in for her shift, she noticed Leah pacing in the lobby and motioned to her. 

"Leah, I need to talk to you for a minute."

"Sure, what is it, Margie?" she asked in a distracted voice, her eyes still on the door.

"The Count was here last night. He looked really bad."

"What!? What did he want?" she asked, nearly pouncing on Margie.

"It was around midnight. He came in and asked if I could take him to the balcony…said he needed to see it again."

Leah's eyes welled up with tears as Margie continued, "Leah, he looked like someone just ran over his dog. What's going on?"

"He was trying to say goodbye…_bastard_…" she squeaked.

Before Leah could explain any further, James came rushing into the lobby and swept her away to her office.

"I have instructions for you. Better call and get on the first flight to London that you can, tonight if possible. Once that's taken care of, I'll tell you more," James said, pulling her phone book out of the desk drawer.

"Well, I guess it's good that my passport hasn't expired," she said, dialing the number for Delta Airlines. Leah was cringing at the thought of using a significant amount of her hard won savings on a plane ticket and related expenses, when she suddenly remembered her extra money from pawning Will's ring. She had no intention of letting Severus get away without a fight and enjoyed the idea that Will's investment was being put to good use. Once her flight was set, she hurriedly straightened her desk and told James what needed to be done while she was gone.

"Hurry home and get packed. I'll be there to pick you up at 4:00 to take you to the airport," James said pushing her out the door. "Go!"

Running through the lobby, Leah skidded to a halt as she passed the front desk.

"Margie, thank you for telling me about last night. It helps more than you know."

"What's going on? Is everything alright?" she asked.

"It will be," Leah said, reaching out and squeezing Margie's hand before resuming her run to the car.

* * *

Monday, August 28, 2006 

Dear Albus and Minerva,

You were correct about Leah. She was hurt, but she was also determined to handle the situation. I believe her exact words were that he wasn't going to get rid of her that easily. He may have met his match.

She is departing tonight and should arrive not too far behind Severus in the morning. Leah is booked on Delta flight 10 arriving at 11:00 a.m. into Gatwick. I will give her your note, which I imagine contains instructions on where to go and meet Minerva once she arrives. You will find enclosed a recent picture to help you recognize her.

If you should need me to do anything else, please let me know as I can still contact her on her cell phone during her layover in Atlanta, Georgia.

I know you will, but I have to say it anyway. Take good care of Leah for me.

Very Sincerely Yours,  
James

* * *

James pulled up at Leah's house a few minutes before 4:00 and helped her carry her bags out. Leah sat quietly in the passenger seat of James' Mercedes, looking out the window with a dark expression. When they were almost to the airport, he handed Leah the sealed note from Albus and Minerva. 

"Here, this is for you to open once you're off the ground. It's from my friends in England. They're going to meet you and help you catch up with him. They're Severus' friends as well and they know him better than I do. They'll know what to do."

Leah regarded the note curiously. It was written on what looked to be parchment and closed with a red wax seal with a lion stamped in it.

"James, where did this come from?" she demanded. "How could you possibly have received a note from friends in England since this morning?"

"Trust me. There's a good explanation for all of this and you'll get it in London. Promise. Other than that, I don't know what to say."

"Fine, I'll play along," she said with a weary and defeated look. After examining the note for a moment, her face softened. "James, you've done so much to help me and I want you to know how much I appreciate it."

"But if I had kept a better eye on things, you wouldn't be in this mess. I just feel so responsible," he said, hanging his head.

"Don't. I would never have found my dark horse it if hadn't been for you."

"Leah, be safe."

"You know me, James. I won't dream it, I'll be it! Love you, sweetheart." Leah closed the car door and dashed into the airport to check in for her flight.

As she was waiting in line, she stared curiously at the note again, examining it carefully.

* * *

Severus wandered aimlessly through Hartsfield Airport during his five and a half hour layover in Atlanta. For a man who very deliberately carried out his plan, he felt aimless and bereft. After he perused the shops and the offerings at the restaurants for a few hours, he finally gave up on trying to distract himself and sat down, exhausted. Never before had he felt so tired and empty. 

It took every ounce of will and courage he possessed to leave Charleston. But he didn't feel courageous; he felt like a coward, and he knew deep inside that he was. Severus ran from the one person he treasured most in the world because of his fear. He was afraid of being vulnerable, of being in love, of revealing the truth about himself and his past, but most of all, he was afraid of being judged.

He had lived with the disapproval of others for years and it no longer affected him, but now things were different. He would rather die than be found wanting in Leah's eyes.

_**Soundtrack Entry #13 – Follow You Home – Nickelback**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Monday, August 28, 2006

Dear Leah,

It is hard to say how excited I am to be meeting you in a few hours time. I don't know very much about you, and I have to admit, I'm curious about the woman who has captivated Severus Snape.

By now, I have your flight information from James and will meet you at the airport when you arrive. I wish that we were meeting under different circumstances, but don't worry. Sometimes you have to get a man on his feet before you can kick him in the backside.

What Severus did was wrong and I'll wager he already knows it, but try not to be too angry with him. I have a plan, and upon your arrival, I will be giving you some helpful information that will enable you understand him better. It may also help you understand yourself better.

Warmest regards,  
Minerva McGonagall

* * *

Leah read the note several times to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Who was this Minerva woman? And how would she recognize her? What was going on? 

Leah had so many other thoughts buzzing around in her head that she didn't have time to dwell on the letter. _'What could possibly be so horrible about Severus' past that it would make him run? How will I be able to convince him to tell me?'_

She barely had time to get settled before the plane landed in Atlanta, and in the blink of an eye, she was over the Atlantic Ocean. Leah made an effort to get as much sleep as she could on the long flight. She was arriving just before lunchtime and knew she would need all of her strength to handle the day ahead.

She woke with a start when the plane hit some turbulence, and her mind was once again racing. She was not concerned with crashing like the other passengers were. Leah knew that she would swim out of the wreckage and all the way to England if she had to. Her biggest concern was getting to Severus and making him understand that he couldn't run from what they had – not when she had finally found him. She would have to find a way to make him understand, and hopefully, her new contact would know how to do that.

Leah tried hard to be angry with Severus, but found it next to impossible. She kept picturing him carrying her into the house from the storm, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could still feel his arms around her.

And then there was what Margie told her. Leah knew that if he had come back to see their balcony one last time, he must love her as much as she loved him. This thought comforted her and pushed her onward.

* * *

Severus was restless on his flight, and trying to sleep proved useless. He knew if he could just make it back to Hogwarts, he would be able to sink back into his old self. He was painfully out of his element in Charleston and found it hard to recognize himself most of the time. Severus needed his dungeon, dark and cold, to help him forget what he had given away. 

After arriving in London, he decided to check in on his house at Spinner's End before apparating to Diagon Alley for supplies. Severus felt much more like himself after he gratefully discarded his Muggle clothes and dressed in his usual attire – formal frock coat and trousers. With his wand at his side and his wizard robe on, he felt his sense of control returning and his mind calming.

_'You've done the right thing. You know she never would have understood. You don't deserve her,'_ he told himself.

* * *

When Leah stepped off the plane into Gatwick Airport, she took a deep breath and looked around for anyone who might recognize her. After several passes over the crowd, she noticed an older woman standing stiff and straight wearing glasses and a concentrated expression on her face. She was dressed in a long, dark blue dress of a rather matronly style with her hair held neatly back in a tight bun. 

As their eyes met, Leah saw the woman's expression soften into a smile. She immediately began to approach Leah and extend her hand. "Hello, Leah. I'm Minerva McGonagall. I imagine that you have read my letter?"

"Yes, I have. Thank you so much for meeting me," Leah replied, truly grateful as she shook the woman's hand with both of hers. "But how did you recognize me? Did James e-mail you a picture?"

"Something like that. Shall we set out, then?"

"Yes. I imagine James told you the situation. He said that you know Severus much better than he does. Is that true?"

"That is correct, Leah. I have known him for many years, and he is incredibly complicated," Minerva said with a sigh. It sounded like she meant pigheaded instead of complicated, and Leah made a mental note of it.

"How soon can I see him? I've got to make him understand—"

"Before you can do that, there are some things I must tell you…and show you. We're going somewhere special for this very purpose."

"Charing Cross Road, please," Minerva instructed the driver as the taxi pulled away from the airport.

As they rode, Leah was quiet, looking out the window or at her hands with a distressed expression.

"Don't worry, Leah. We'll straighten everything out. I'm not saying it will be easy, but I don't get the impression that you are afraid of a fight."

"I'm not," she said, her eyes stinging with tears. "But whatever Severus is hiding must be agony for him. I hate knowing that he hurts so badly."

"You see things very clearly. It will help that you understand him so well," Minerva said as she handed Leah a handkerchief and patted her hand.

Minerva tapped the driver on the shoulder a short while later. "You may let us out here, thank you."

As the taxi pulled to a stop outside their destination, Leah looked around curiously. There were stores, offices and in the distance, a church steeple.

Minerva watched Leah closely while she took in the surrounding area. "Why don't we have a drink?"

"In there?" Leah asked as she squinted, trying to read the worn sign hanging above the door of the pub across the street. "The Leaky Cauldron? I'd love to have a drink in a real British pub."

"Wonderful! This is just wonderful!" Minerva said enthusiastically.

_'Alright, red flag. My guide is an alcoholic.'_

As they crossed the street pulling Leah's bags, Minerva said, "Leah, this is a special place. Once we're settled inside, I have something to tell you that I hope you'll find very exciting."

"Oh…well, good." Apprehension was taking hold.

The Leaky Cauldron looked to her like a rather questionable bar, as it was dimly lit and full of strange looking people in what appeared to be Halloween costumes, pointy hats and robes. Minerva indicated a booth in the corner, and Leah followed as Minerva waved hello to several people while they made their way through the busy pub.

_'Must be a regular,' _Leah thought to herself.

Once they were seated, Minerva motioned to the waitress and ordered some lunch and a couple of butterbeers for them. Not wanting to appear rude, Leah decided not to ask about what she ordered and go with the flow.

"Leah, look around and tell me what you see," Minerva instructed. It looked to Leah like a strange role-playing or fetish club, or at least, what she thought one might look like.

"Well, I see people having lunch, drinking, talking. They're dressed a bit strange. Is there something else important that I'm not noticing…other than the Halloween costumes?"

"Yes and no. You are correct in your assessment, but these are not ordinary people."

"What do you mean?" Leah asked gravely, leaning in toward Minerva, forcing herself not to reach for the hand sanitizer in her purse.

"This is a wizard pub." Minerva looked intensely at Leah, took her hands and said, "and you are a witch."

_'Yikes! Alcoholic _and_ delusional.'_ Leah got a hold of herself. "You know, I knew a guy who used to play D&D in middle school, but don't you think this is a bit much?"

Minerva stared blankly back at her before shaking off Leah's comment and proceeding with her explanation. "I was curious whether or not you would be able to see The Leaky Cauldron from the street. You see, Muggles, non-magical people that is, cannot see this place. Only magical people can see it, wizards and witches."

Leah was trying to look interested while she wondered how she was going to get away from this nut job and find Severus. She was frantic, looking around, scanning for all possible exits.

As Minerva was beginning to tell Leah about the magical world that had always existed right under her nose, she noticed a worn looking, middle-aged man and a woman with hot pink hair approaching their table. The quiet resignation in the man's eyes reminded her of Severus. Minerva immediately stopped speaking and stood to greet them.

"Remus, Tonks, I'm so glad to see you! Please sit down."

"So sorry we're late, Minerva," the pink haired woman said as she scooted in next to Leah.

"Leah, this is Remus and Nymphadora Lupin."

"Please, call me Tonks," the pink-haired woman requested, extending her hand.

Leah shook it, but her only reply was a wide-eyed expression. She turned to look at the man sitting next to Minerva across the table when he began to speak.

"So, you're Leah. It is a pleasure to meet you. We were, uh, surprised when Minerva told us about you and Severus. We're so glad you're not going to let him try to run away."

"Well, thanks for your support. Is there anyone in here who doesn't know why I'm here? Was it the headline on today's magic newspaper?" Leah asked sarcastically.

"Of course not. I'm sorry, I forgot that this is all new to you," he said as his patient eyes apologized to her. "How much have you told her, Minerva?"

"Not much, I was just getting started when you came in," Minerva replied.

"Maybe you should let me tell her," Tonks suggested. As the other two nodded at her in agreement, she turned to Leah. "I know this is all new and probably really scary for you. You're trying to find the quickest way out of here. Am I right?"

Leah nodded slowly in response.

"I thought so. I was thinking on the way over how I would feel if I were you. You've met someone wonderful, you know you can't let them get away, and now all of _this _gets dumped on you. It has to be a shock."

"You could say that," Leah said reservedly.

"Well, the same thing happened to me," Tonks said as she looked sweetly across the table at Remus. "But I've always known I was a witch."

"You're a witch? Prove it," Leah challenged.

"Alright." Tonks closed her eyes and scrunched up her face in concentration for a moment. As she did, Leah noticed that her hair changed from hot pink and spiky to long, black curls.

Leah's heart raced with amazement. It couldn't be. It simply couldn't be!

"Most witches can't do that, change their appearance at will, I mean," Tonks said as she reached into her robe and pulled out a wooden stick.

"Let me guess, that's your magic wand?" Leah said sarcastically.

"Exactly. Now you're getting it," Tonks said with a smile.

"I was kidding!"

"I wasn't. Watch," she said, pointing the wand at Minerva's empty butterbeer bottle across the table. _"Accio bottle."_

Leah watched in astonishment as the bottle lifted up and flew across the table into Tonks' hand. She was making it hard to argue.

"Now, do you believe me?"

"Let me try," Leah said, reaching for the wand.

"Not so fast," she cautioned. "You could hurt someone if you just start waving it around. Besides, you really shouldn't use anyone's wand but your own."

"Well let's just bop around the corner to the magic wand store and I'll get my own, then," Leah said sharply.

"We can do that later, I'll take you if you want. Remus and I would love it if you would stay with us while you're in London."

Leah saw that Tonks was serious and suddenly felt bad for behaving so poorly. She looked around the table at everyone. "I'm sorry. Y'all have been nothing but kind to me, and I should thank you, but this is all a _bit _much to take. So, if you'll just help me find Severus, I'll get out of your hair."

Remus looked across the table at her. "There's no need to apologize, Leah. I'm sure this has been a long day for you already, and it's only lunchtime. We'll help you however—."

As he spoke, realization suddenly washed over Leah and she knew why this was all so significant. She had been so wrapped up in her own feelings that she hadn't considered…

"Severus is a…a _wizard_?" she asked, cutting Remus off in mid-sentence, panic stricken.

Remus, Tonks and Minerva all looked at Leah and nodded, smiling softly.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

_'Shit! Double shit! Of course he's a wizard. I finally meet the man of my dreams and he's a friggin' wizard. This is just priceless,'_ Leah thought to herself.

"Maybe I should get us some more butterbeer," Tonks said when she noticed Leah struggling with her thoughts.

Remus winked at his wife. "Good idea."

Leah heard Remus and Minerva talking about where Severus might be as her mind raced with the implications of her realization.

When Tonks came back with the butterbeers, Leah's introduction to the world of magic began. They talked to her of the wizarding community, magic, Hogwarts, the Dark arts. Leah's head was starting to spin with all of the information and the fact that she, Leah Manning, was a witch! Well, she always wondered about her special gift. _'Be careful what you ask for,'_ she thought.

Staring across the bar, deep in thought, she heard a crisp pop and saw a man dressed in all black wearing a robe appear out of nowhere. Leah blinked a few times, marveling at this sight, and saw upon closer inspection that it was Severus. Her dark horse had just materialized out of thin air! Evidently, she was the only one who noticed as the conversation at her table continued without pause.

Leah thought of nothing but getting to him since she got off the plane, but now she was terrified, and it was crystal clear to her why he chose to run. She couldn't imagine having to tell someone like her that real magic existed…and that you were a wizard.

Panic descended, and overcome with everything that had happened over the past few days, Leah took the first option that came to mind – escape. She excused herself from her companions, supposedly to visit the ladies room.

Once on her feet, Leah abruptly changed course and ran for the front door, knocking over an empty chair along the way. She needed air desperately and made her way into the street, running at a full sprint down the block toward the church steeple she saw before.

* * *

When a chair hit the floor, Severus turned and noticed a head of long, curly, auburn hair running out the door. He dismissed the thought at once. Absolutely, positively not possible. 

Walking to the back to enter Diagon Alley, he saw Remus, Minerva and Tonks getting up from a booth and making haste toward the front door. At once, Severus' worst nightmare was confirmed, and fear shot through him like a flaming arrow.

He stalked across the pub and glared at them. "I _cannot believe_ you would meddle in my personal affairs! Thought you would play matchmaker, did you?" Severus hissed at them.

"Severus, how _dare_ you accuse us of anything! If you had handled the situation properly, we wouldn't have had to intervene. Now, _go after_ _her_!" Minerva demanded.

"She's just learned that she's a witch, Severus. She's scared and overwhelmed. Go to her. You _at least_ owe her _that_." Remus' words were calm, but poignant.

"A _witch_? Leah is a witch?" Severus closed his eyes in agony for a moment before snapping to life again. "And, I suppose you fools just _casually _introduced all of this information to her! What did you expect her to do?" He growled in anger, glaring at them before running for the door.

Leah turned the corner several blocks ahead and Severus sprinted to catch up with her. He knew if he lost sight of her that he might not be able to find her amid London's many hiding places. Reaching the corner, he saw the door closing at the front of a large, gray church across the street.

Severus rushed through the doorway and found his Leah alone, seated in a front pew, crying into her hands.

She was crying so intently that she did not hear him approaching. Her cries fused together with his staccato steps into a perverse hymn that echoed off of the gray stone floor and walls of the church.

Leah felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Severus, rosy-cheeked, catching his breath from chasing her. He opened the door to the pew and sat down next to her, taking one of her tear-soaked hands in both of his. Leah immediately attempted to straighten herself, embarrassed for him to see her in such a state.

"Severus, why didn't you just tell me? I know it wouldn't have been easy, but I would have listened. Don't you trust me? I think I have shown unrestrained trust in you," she said half in anger.

"Leah, there is more to this than magic. I would give anything if I could make that the worst of my secrets."

"Then, what? What is it? Tell me, Severus, I can take it. I can," Leah pleaded, her cheeks still wet with tears.

Severus knew that telling her was the only way to make sure she would let him go. He hated himself for the pain he knew it would cause her, but he knew it was the only way.

"Leah, I am many things, a wizard being the least of them. I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was a Death Eater. I was a double agent, a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. And I am a murderer many times over. Worst of all, the blood of my parents is on my hands."

Leah eyes bulged at him. "Are you telling me that you killed your parents?" She could not – would not – believe it.

"No…and yes. They were killed _because_ of me, and I wear the stain of it just as if I had murdered them myself."

Leah listened in silence as the man she knew was the love of her life told her of his past. Severus spoke with a heavy heart and a heavier conscience, making no excuses when he told her of his actions and choices. He stated the facts as they were, plain and terrible, watching a confused and horrified expression twist her features.

"Do you see now why I left? Why I cannot let you lower yourself because of what I have done? I will not inflict the shame of my past upon you."

She had no real idea what a Death Eater was, but it didn't sound pleasant. And the fact that he had killed people, lots of them, shocked her to the core, not to mention that one of them was his mentor. She heard the mixture of admiration and remorse in his voice as Severus spoke of him. But, as she regarded her dark horse, his soul bare and bleeding before her, Leah realized that what he had done didn't matter to her nearly as much as it should have. He could have sprouted red horns and a pointy tail and it wouldn't have changed a thing. The Severus she knew was not that man.

"If you truly do not want to be with me, if your feelings for me are not as strong as I think they are, then that's one thing, but this _crap_ about me lowering myself and deserving better is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard. It sounds like a cop out to me, because _you_ cannot make peace with what you have done. I would not have wanted to hear it from anyone's lips but yours, but I don't see why it means that we can't be together. _I_ made peace with it the moment you told me. Do you know why, Severus? Because I'm in love with you," Leah said in a surprisingly calm voice. Severus did not move a muscle; she didn't even think he was breathing. "Did you hear me? I love you." She took his face in her free hand and stared into his dark, enigmatic eyes. "Let me care for you."

Severus closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them to look at her, Leah felt a warm tear roll onto her hand.

Had she just accepted him despite his crimes? It couldn't be real – any minute he expected to wake up. But when he did not, Severus thought there was no worse punishment for his crimes than this, sitting with his Leah, hearing her say the words he had waited his whole life to hear and not being able to reciprocate.

"Leah, I cannot do this. My apologies," he said painfully, taking her hands and putting them in her lap. "Goodbye, angel."

Severus stood and gave her one last, long look before walking back down the aisle out of the church.

* * *

When Severus returned to The Leaky Cauldron, Minerva, Tonks and Remus were sitting in the same booth as earlier. They saw him approaching alone and did not regard him kindly. 

"She is in the church around the corner. One of you will want to go and collect her before too long. Please make sure that she gets home safely," he said quietly. Minerva could have sworn that she saw a damp spot on his cheek as he turned to make his way back toward Diagon Alley.

"I'll go get her," Tonks said as she slowly got up from the booth. "It must be bad if he said please."

After a few minutes, Remus looked across the table at Minerva. "What are we going to do? We can't just send her home."

"We are not going to send her home, Remus. I am going to offer her a place at Hogwarts - as a student," Minerva said with a twinkle in her eye. "I think she'll make quite a successful witch."

"Can you do that? Isn't she a bit _old_?" Remus asked, politely perplexed.

"This may surprise you, but nowhere is it written that students must fall within any specific age ranges." Minerva gave Remus the look she was prepared to give anyone who would challenge her in this, and it was a humbling thing.

Remus cleared his throat. "Well, I see you still have it, Minerva, not that I ever doubted it." He chuckled as a smile spread across her face. "Perhaps Tonks and I can give her some helpful information about Severus…and advice on convincing a man who thinks himself _unworthy_?"

"Exactly. I'll exchange some money for her, and Tonks can take her shopping for her school things. She'll need to report to Hogwarts on Friday for the beginning of the term."

"I'm glad I'm not going to be there when Severus finds out," Remus said holding in his laugh.

* * *

Leah was sitting in the church, attempting to pull herself together, when she heard someone coming down the aisle toward her. She knew it wasn't Severus; the footsteps were not deliberate enough. She looked up through watery eyes to see Tonks opening the pew door to sit down. 

"Everything will be alright. We'll fix it, Leah, you'll see."

"_How?_ He told me about his past and the horrible things he'd done. I tried to accept him with open arms, but he pushed me away."

"I thought he might," Tonks said quietly. "Remus did the same thing to me when I first told him how I felt. Of course, I already knew he was a werewolf then, but he still pushed me away, giving me the same story you probably got about deserving better. Am I right?"

"Right again. I'm sorry, did you just say that Remus is a _werewolf_?" Leah asked as politely as possible when asking someone you're going to stay with if there will be a werewolf in the house.

"Yes, but no worries, it's under control. Besides, the full moon is not for a few more weeks," Tonks said with a wink.

"Super," Leah replied sarcastically, looking overwhelmed. "So, I'm guessing you have some advice for me on how to bring Severus around?"

Tonks nodded. "Come back to The Leaky Cauldron and we'll make some plans."

As they were standing in the church aisle, Leah turned to Tonks and threw her arms around her. "Thank you so much. I'm sorry I lost it earlier."

Tonks hugged her new friend back with equal intensity. "No problem. I think you were entitled to a breakdown."

* * *

Leah plunked herself down into the booth next to Minerva, unable to remember ever feeling as tired as she did at that moment. 

After Leah told Minerva and Remus what happened, Minerva said, "We have a plan. We did not get this far in our discussion earlier, but I am the Headmistress of the best school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world, and I would love to have you as a student at Hogwarts if that would be of interest to you."

"Hogwarts? You're Severus' boss?!"

"Correct. Although you would not be the age of our typical student, our first years are almost always 11 years old."

"Oh, good, so I only overshot my landing by 19 years."

Remus smiled at her sarcasm, thinking how Severus must enjoy it.

"Leah, it is of no consequence. You know as much as they do when it comes to magic. We'll simply tell everyone that you are my long lost niece. If it would make you more comfortable, I would be glad to offer you accommodations separate from the other students, outside of the dormitory, but still within your house. There are advantages to being in charge."

"Accommodations? So, Hogwarts is a boarding school," Leah said, considering the offer. "I'll have to call home and make some arrangements, but yes, I accept your offer. I would be happy to stay in the dormitory with the other students if you think that would be appropriate. I don't need a separate house."

"No, no. By house, I mean your 'division'. On the first evening of term, all students are sorted into one of four _houses_, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin. All of the girls from each house stay in the same dormitory by year, just as the boys do." Minerva thought for a moment before continuing. "I think it would be best if you stayed in a separate room close to your house dormitory – 19 years makes a lot of difference. I take it you have already completed your Muggle schooling?"

"Yes, I have a Sociology degree. Although you probably have no idea what that means, do you?"

"Not particularly," said Minerva. "But what you will be learning at Hogwarts will be very different, I'm sure. If you're going to live near the dormitory with the other students, you'll have to abide by all of the same rules. And you could not, under _any_ circumstances, reveal your relationship with Severus to any of the other students or professors."

"I figured that would be the deal, and that's perfectly acceptable to me. Thank you for taking me on, _Headmistress_."

"You're quite welcome," Minerva said with smile and a twinkle in her eye. "You will need to report to school on Friday. That will give you a couple of days to prepare. You'll be staying with Tonks and Remus until then, and they'll help you get everything you need for school. They both attended Hogwarts, so they can give you a great deal of helpful information."

Leah smiled brightly at the three of them as she could see the possibilities laid out before her; despite her setback in the church earlier, she was undeterred in her task. Even if Severus _had_ refused her, she wanted to learn more about witchcraft. (Not to mention that being at Hogwarts would give her another crack at him.) Her apprehensiveness was wearing off and her curiosity was taking its place. Despite her current exhaustion, she was ready for an adventure. The sun would rise the next morning just as it always did, and Leah would accept its challenge, with or without Severus.

_**Soundtrack Entry #14 – Tangled – Maroon 5  
Soundtrack Entry #15 – Fear – Sarah McLachlin** _

* * *

**Author's Notes:** First, I am _so_ sorry for the delay in posting this chapter! I have tried every day for the past four days and the site would not let me load it. My sincere apologies. Barring any other problems, I am going to post three chapters this week to get caught up. 

Second, do you remember my notes at the beginning of the story? I asked you to suspend your disbelief, and I hope that you will. Believe me, I know that Leah being a student is rather far fetched, and I hope I haven't already lost you, but please stick around. There's a lot more to come. :)

Third, this is part one of my thanks to Holly Ilex for allowing me to use her scenario of the fate of Severus' parents. Thanks, Holly!

Last, I extend a HUGE thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! You're the icing on my cupcake!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Upon his return to Hogwarts, Severus decided to visit the Headmistress' office and see if he could have a word with her. He was too tired to be irate any more, but needed to clear the air to get things back to normal. Speaking her tedious and cumbersome password, "Good, better, best, Never let it rest, Until your good is better, And your better is best", he watched as the entrance to the office presented itself.

Severus climbed the stairs and opened the door without knocking. He was surprised to find that Minerva had not yet returned from London, and as he turned to leave, he noticed something of interest on her desk.

Severus did not resort to thievery very often, but he couldn't resist when something so tempting lay before him. He pocketed the object of his desire from the desk and made a silent and swift retreat to his chambers.

* * *

Later that evening at the Lupin residence, Remus and Leah were having a cup of tea after Tonks left them to work one of her night shifts for the Auror office. Leah was fascinated as Remus told her about Tonks' work, but she wondered sadly what she could possibly do to get Severus' attention now that everyone was so much more interesting than her. 

"I'm glad we have some one-on-one time, Leah. There are some things I need to tell you about Severus that he might not appreciate Tonks hearing."

"Really? So, there are more secrets?" Leah asked.

"Nothing like what he told you earlier, things about his upbringing and school years that I am guessing you don't know. I would wager they have shaped his character more than anything. He did not have a happy childhood."

"I thought that might be the case. At home, I asked him if he had any siblings. He said he had none and that his parents were murdered a long time ago, and today he told me that they were killed _because_ of him. Is that true?"

"Yes, but there's much more to it. His mother was a witch, but his father was a Muggle. With only on magical parent, Severus is what some rather rude people call a _mudblood_ or _halfblood_, as opposed to _pure_blood. His father was also, I think, abusive to Severus and his mother. I don't know that for sure, but I heard it from a reliable source. When he was in his seventh year at Hogwarts, his father murdered his mother and then killed himself."

Leah gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as Remus continued. "Did he tell you about Voldemort?"

"A little," she replied, her words muffled by her hand.

"It doesn't surprise me that Severus didn't go into too much detail about him. Voldemort was incredibly evil. His followers, the Death Eaters, called him the Dark Lord if that gives you any indication. There is a curse in the wizarding world called the Imperius curse. It turns anyone or anything that it is cast on into a puppet. Voldemort cast the Imperius curse on Severus' father and forced him to do what he did, effectively traumatizing Severus. He was already in Slytherin House, a prime candidate to become a Death Eater, and Voldemort was particularly interested in Severus because of his Potions aptitude. Once he was alone, 17 years old, he was an easy target, and unfortunately, he did become a Death Eater. Years later, when he found out about what Voldemort had done to his parents, he saw the error of his ways and came to Headmaster Dumbledore, offering his services as a spy for the Order."

Leah wiped away a few tears in the wake of Remus' explanation. She could have cried the entire night over what she learned, but she felt the need to keep it together just then. "He wanted to make up for what he had done," she said unconsciously.

"Yes, but there's something else I need to tell you. Before his parents were killed, he was a loner at school, already into the Dark Arts, in Slytherin house, smart and a wonderful target for bullies, although he loved to try and retaliate. This certainly didn't help matters. I am sorry to say that I did not do what I could have to stop a good bit of it. You see, two of my closest friends despised him, and you can probably take it from there."

"I can."

"I hope you can forgive me for what I did, or rather, what I didn't do. I never imagined then that it would have the consequences it did for Severus," Remus said earnestly. "I'm afraid it has carried over into his teaching style."

"It's not _my_ forgiveness you should seek, Remus, but I do understand how children can be. So, you're saying he's a mean teacher? A grown up bully?"

Remus tapped his index finger on the tip of his nose, smiling sadly.

"Well, then I imagine he picks favorites as well. It will be interesting to see what category I fall into, won't it?" Leah said, trying to sound saucy as she wiped the last remnants of her tears away.

Remus smiled at the determination and mischief he saw on Leah's deceptively innocent face. "If I'm not with you when you go to Diagon Alley, make sure Tonks takes you into a shop called Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. You need to meet Fred and George."

"I'll mention it to Tonks. Remus, thank you for telling me all that. I'm sure some of it was hard for you to say, but having so much insight really helps me understand why he's behaved as he has. It helps me appreciate what he's been through."

* * *

Wednesday, August 30, 2006 

Dear James,

Unfortunately, we lost the first battle, but Leah is determined to win the war. I met her when she arrived and was able to confirm rather quickly that she is, as I suspected, a witch. By witch, I mean that she has magical ability like Severus and me. Albus indicated that she might. She will probably be contacting you soon to make arrangements to stay with us for some time. I have offered her a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the same school where Albus was headmaster when he was alive and where I have now taken up the post as headmistress, and she has happily accepted.

We encountered Severus very soon after arriving in London and it did not go well between them, but she is now staying with some friends who can help immensely. I am sure she will tell you all about them when she contacts you. Please send Sadie back with a reply as I think we should use her to keep you and Leah in contact while she is here at school.

Kindest regards,  
Minerva

* * *

Late Wednesday morning, Tonks appeared in the kitchen, yawning and tousling her hot pink hair as Leah looked through the _Daily Prophet_ Remus left on the table. 

"I didn't wake you when I came in, did I?" Tonks asked, reaching into the cupboard for a tea cup.

"Not possible, at least not last night. I was dead to the world. Why are you up after being awake most of the night?"

"Have to. If I sleep all day, it throws me off and I won't be able to sleep tonight. Besides, we have things to do today. This is an important day for you. We're going to Diagon Alley to get your wand, books and robes for school. I'm glad I get to go with you, but I am sorry that it's not Severus," Tonks said. "He'll be sorry he missed it when he comes to his senses."

"Well, it'll be _his_ fault, won't it?"

"Exactly," Tonks said with a quick nod. "Want to set out after lunch, then? I think Remus is going to try to meet us around tea time."

"Sure. Oh yeah, he said to remind you to take me to Weasel's something or other to meet two guys. Frank and Jim?"

Tonks laughed. "That would be Fred and George _Weasley_. I already had plans to take you there. Maybe we can find something in there that will land in you in detention with Severus. I mean _Professor Snape_," she said, lowering her chin and giving Leah a significant look.

"_Hot_. I _have_ called him that before, you know. He initially told me that he was a chemistry professor, so it wasn't too far from the truth. Although, he asked me to call him Severus when I did it," Leah said as she got up from the table to go and get ready.

She hummed Van Halen's _Hot for Teacher_ to herself as she rifled through her suitcase.

* * *

Tonks and Remus' house was not far from The Leaky Cauldron by way of the underground, and as Leah could not travel like a witch yet, they used it to get around just as they had the day before. 

Leah dressed in black crop pants and a green short-sleeve top that came to a low V in the front; she wished to blend in as much a possible, but hadn't packed any Halloween costumes.

As they crossed the street to The Leaky Cauldron, Leah asked, "Do I look OK?"

"Yes, you look very pretty. You may stand out a bit in Diagon Alley, but I imagine you're used to that."

Leah looked worried. "What do you mean? Am I going to embarrass you?"

"No, don't be silly. I mean that you're a beautiful woman, and you probably have men noticing you all the time. I've always been awkward and I'm used to it, just like you're used to the reaction you get from people."

"OK, it's time to put down the crack pipe!" Leah said as she grabbed Tonks by the arm halfway through The Leaky Cauldron. "You're gorgeous, with sassy hair by the way, a wonderful husband who adores you…and you're _fierce_. Remus told me what you do, and I think you're amazing. I was wondering last night how much I'm going to have to learn to even get Severus to notice me now that I'm here. I mean, I'm just some dumb Muggle to him, no wonder it was so easy for him to walk away from me yesterday."

"Oh, no! Leah, it took everything he had to walk away," Tonks said as she took Leah's hand. "It was written all over his face. He came back and made sure one of us was going to take care of you and make sure you got home safely. You're really going to put him in his place when you show up at Hogwarts on Friday night."

"I hope you're right. Come on, take me shopping. Retail therapy always works."

Leah stood in awe while she watched Tonks tapping on the bricks to open the doorway to Diagon Alley, and once they were there, she could hardly keep her mouth from hanging open as she looked around at everything like kid at the circus. Each store and each thing she saw was more miraculous to her than the next.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Tonks asked. "I remember the first time my Mum brought me here."

But Leah did not say anything in response or inquire about Tonks' first trip. She was too busy taking everything in.

_**Soundtrack Entry #16 – Hot For Teacher – Van Halen**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"Well, we're here. Ollivander's. Ready to get your wand?" Tonks asked brightly.

Leah nodded as she stepped over the threshold into the shop. Although they were the only customers in the shop at the time, Leah had seldom felt more cramped. Racks and racks of long, skinny boxes filled nearly every inch of the store so that there was nowhere to stand, except right in front of the counter. It was organized chaos.

A lanky, young man with light brown hair and freckles wearing a dark green robe promptly emerged from the jungle of shelves and racks. "Good day, ladies. How may I help you?"

"My friend here has just learned that she is witch, and I have brought her to get her wand."

Leah felt the heat rising in her cheeks as the shopkeeper replied. "Definitely an important day for any witch. Let's just try out a few, shall we? I'll be right back."

"But Tonks, how am I going to try them out if I don't know how to do any magic yet?" Leah asked quietly while the young man was searching the shelves.

"He'll tell you what to do, don't worry about it," Tonks whispered with a wink.

"Here we are, Miss. I'm Chadwick Ollivander, and I'm at your service," he said as he offered her the first wand to try out.

"Thank you, I'm Leah Manning. Very nice to meet you. Now, what do I need to do with this wand, just hold it?"

"A little more than that, give it a quick wave, and that will help me to determine when we have found the right one. My uncle always said that the wand chooses the wizard. Or _witch_, in this case," Chadwick said with a smile.

"OK, here goes," Leah said nervously as she flicked it. She waited, but nothing happened. "Did I do it wrong?"

"No, not at all. Let's try this one." Chadwick handed her another wand with a lovely carved handle.

Leah flicked it and large globs of soap suds shot out of the tip and dropped onto the floor. Tonks and Chadwick shook their heads and he handed her another wand to try, this one ebony with pale orange flecks in the grain of the wood. Some weak sparks shot out, but again, Tonks and Chadwick shook their heads.

This time, Leah was handed a wand that seduced her from the first glance. Like the others, it was wood, but the color was a luscious, deep red._ 'Please let this be the one,'_ she thought. Leah held her breath, and when she flicked it, small, opalescent nightingales flew from the tip, singing a hypnotic melody as they flew around the shop and perched on the tops of the racks.

"Good show, Leah! I would say that's the one, wouldn't you?" Tonks gasped, nodding at Chadwick, who heartily agreed as Leah breathed a sigh of relief and joy.

After Tonks helped Leah sort out her money and pay for her wand, they made their way out into the street with Chadwick waving goodbye from the door.

"Twelve inches, cherry, with dragon heartstring inside. Very nice, Leah," Tonks said as she examined the box.

"Does that stuff mean anything? What's it's made from? The length?"

"Not particularly. Everyone's is different. It's usually the boys that are obsessed with the size though," Tonks said with an evil grin.

"Tell me about it. Oh, look! Is that the store Remus said we have to go in?"

"Yeah, come on. You'll like this one, too," Tonks said, handing Leah back her new wand.

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes was a large shop full of brightly colored objects, all of which Leah was extremely tempted by. Mischief was very nearly oozing out of the doorway.

"Molly!" Tonks exclaimed toward a woman standing at the counter with the telltale red-headed complexion and freckles, her graying hair swept up into a loose bun. "It's so nice to see you! Meet my new friend, Leah Manning."

"Hello, dear, I'm Molly Weasley. It's lovely to meet you," she said with a warm smile as she squeezed Leah's hand with both of hers.

"Molly, Remus is going to meet us for tea in a bit, why don't you come and join us?" Tonks asked, giving Molly a significant look.

Molly happily agreed just as Fred came running through the shop toward them. Leah recognized that he must be Molly's son by his bright red hair and his coloring.

"Tonks! So glad you could come by, but how could I be so rude. Who's your friend?" he said, giving Leah the once over. "I'm Fred Weasley, welcome to our shop, Miss…"

"Manning, I'm Leah Manning, pleased to meet you. Remus said I had to visit your shop while I was here."

"So, you're a friend of the Lupin's," Fred said giving Tonks a sideways glance.

"Yes, they've been kind enough to let me stay with them for the moment, but they'll be rid of me soon," Leah said with a smile at Tonks. "I'm going to Hogwarts on Friday."

"I hadn't heard anything about a new professor," Fred said, confused.

"No, Fred," Tonks explained. "Leah just learned yesterday that she's a witch, and Minerva has agreed to let her attend Hogwarts as a student. She's just gotten her wand…performed a lovely Avis spell, too."

Leah looked curiously at Tonks before turning to Fred. "Yeah, I have no idea what I'm doing actually, and I know I'll be _way _older than the other students," Leah said feeling the heat rise again in her cheeks.

"Oi! George! Come out here and meet someone!"

Leah watched as another red head came hurrying out from the back of the shop toward her. At first she thought she was seeing things, until she realized that Fred and George were twins.

"George, this is Leah. She's going to be starting as a _first_ year at Hogwarts, isn't that _interesting_?" Fred said, elbowing his brother as a large group of shoppers came bustling through the door.

"Yes, it is, but how—," George asked as Molly cut him off.

"Boys, that's enough. We'll come back later and see you. It looks like you have some customers to attend to," Molly said linking her arm with Leah's and pulling her toward the door. She understood the look that Tonks gave her moments before indicating that there was much more to the situation, and she knew it would be a bad idea to let Fred and George get their claws into Leah. They could smell secrets a mile away.

"Nice to have met you two!" Leah said as she waved from the doorway, giving them an encouraging smile.

"Molly, we've got to go and get Leah's robes and books before tea, would you like to come with us?"

"Definitely," Molly replied as they stepped into the street. "So, Leah, where are you from?"

"I wondered when someone was going to ask. I'm American, as you've probably guessed, from Charleston, South Carolina to be exact."

"Have you been here long?" Molly inquired.

"Actually, I just got here yesterday. I…um…," Leah shot Tonks a struggling look and sighed heavily, unsure of what to say.

"Leah, I think we can tell Molly the truth. She's trustworthy. She was in the Order with Severus, too."

"Severus Snape? Are you a friend of his? I have to say I am curious about you being a student at Hogwarts also," Molly said as they entered Madam Malkin's.

While Leah was measured and fitted for school robes and a few others for fun, Tonks told Molly about the situation as quietly as possible at the front of the store, where they were safely out of Madam Malkin's earshot.

Leah soon joined them with her new robes wrapped and ready to go. Before she knew it, Molly had thrown her arms around her in a suffocating hug. "You poor thing! You'll have Severus on his knees in no time, I'm sure of it," she whispered.

"Thanks. Tonks seems confident of that, too. She and Remus have been so kind and helpful to me, having worked out a vaguely similar situation," Leah said, pulling out her supply list.

Molly, Tonks and Leah purchased everything she would need for school, finishing just in time to meet Remus for "tea" back at The Leaky Cauldron. Leah wasn't sure why Tonks kept referring to it as tea, since everyone had butterbeer or firewhiskey to drink.

Leah enjoyed getting to know Molly better. They had an instant connection with Leah being the only daughter in a large family, and she was eager to meet Molly's daughter, Ginny.

"So, how did you like Diagon Alley, Leah?" Remus asked as he leaned back in his seat, one arm around his wife.

"It was incredible! I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all of this stuff, especially the cauldron and all those little bottles, but I have full faith that _Professor Snape_ will do his best to assist me."

"He's not going to know what hit him, is he?" Remus asked.

"Nope," Leah replied with conviction. "But I'm also really excited about learning magic! I always hoped there was something special inside me, and now I feel like it might actually be true."

* * *

Later that night after Tonks went to bed, Leah found her cell phone and went outside to make the calls she had been dreading. She was glad to find that she could get enough of a signal to get through to James and her parents. 

"James, it's so nice to hear your voice."

"Leah, how are you? I heard from Minerva that things didn't go so well with Severus yesterday."

"They didn't, but so much has happened that I haven't had much time to dwell on it. You knew that Severus was a wizard, didn't you?" Leah asked.

"I did, and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, honey. I really wanted to."

"It's OK, I understand, but did you know that I'm a witch?" she asked, suddenly excited.

"Well, there were people at the hotel that always said you should have had a broomstick instead of a car."

Leah could hear the smile in James' voice. "You better watch it, I got my wand today. I actually own a magic wand. Can you believe it?! I know how nuts this all sounds, but if anyone will understand, it's you, James."

"I do, and I couldn't be happier for you. I imagine you need me to take care of things at work for you?"

"Yeah," Leah said slowly. "I was thinking of a leave of absence."

"Sure. I'll handle it, but what about your house and stuff? You haven't talked to your parents yet, have you?"

"Nope, I have to call them next and I'm terrified. They don't even know I've left the country, and I don't know if I can tell them the truth about chasing after Severus. There's no way I can tell them about the witch thing unless it's in person, and that's not an option right now."

"I see what you mean, but I would tell them the truth about Severus. Just leave out the magic part. They're your family, Lee, you need to be as honest with them as you can. I'll go and see your Mom tomorrow if you want, to help smooth things over."

"Oh, James! Would you? Mom loves you and I know it couldn't hurt. You're the best!"

"I know, I know. Now, call them before you lose your nerve. And, Leah, be gentle with Severus. He really does love you, you know? He wouldn't have run if he didn't."

"I hope you're right, but either way, he's not going to know which end is up by the time I'm done."

Leah was nearly vibrating with nerves as the phone rang to her parents' house, and she said a quick prayer. Her mother answered, and the conversation didn't go quite as badly as she thought it would. She wasn't disowned on the spot, but her parents were rather upset that she would go and do something so "irresponsible".

Leah chose not to tell them about magic and them having a witch for a daughter for the time being. It was enough that she left the country and her job for a man she hardly knew. After almost an hour of heated discussion, her Mom agreed to take care of things for her, including renting her house to her brother, Jamie, while she was gone.

"I know how crazy this all sounds, Mom, really I do, but I know what I'm doing. You're just going to have to trust me. I love you."

"I hope so, Leah. You usually know best. We love you, too," Ginny Manning said before she hung up.

* * *

Leah slept late the next morning and found Tonks sitting in the living room reading when she got up. 

"Late night?" Tonks asked knowingly.

"Yeah, I had to call my parents and my friend James to make arrangements for my house and job, and basically to put my life on hold. It was not fun."

"I imagine it wasn't. You alright?"

"Yeah, thanks. It's nice to have a friend over here," Leah said with a tired smile. "So, what's on tap for today?"

"I'm off from work and I thought I would fill you in as much as possible about Hogwarts, make sure you have everything you need for tomorrow, and maybe do a little plotting about Severus."

Leah was incredibly thankful for Tonks, and as they talked into the afternoon, she felt like she had found a kindred spirit.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Severus was exceedingly busy preparing for the term that was about to begin. At least that was what he told himself as he created endless tasks to occupy his time, anything to keep from thinking about Leah or what happened in the church. He tried his best not to go near any portraits of Albus, but he knew he could not avoid him forever.

By the time Friday morning came, Severus was tired of hiding, and he decided to get his confrontation with Albus over with. Albus saw him approaching and called out to him from the enchanted portrait.

"Good morning, Severus. I was sorry to hear that things didn't work out with you and Miss Manning. Naturally, Minerva told me what happened at The Leaky Cauldron."

"Yes, I am not pleased with my failure, but Leah is young. She will find someone better suited to her needs, no doubt."

Albus paused for a moment, considering the situation. He knew that if he said anything else, he might not be able to keep his secret about Hogwarts' newest student. "I'm sure you're right, Severus. So, is everything ready for the new term?"

"Quite. I do not think I have ever been so organized."

Albus gave him a knowing smile as Severus said goodbye and entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Severus couldn't help but feel relieved at having that particular discussion behind him.

_'Now I just have to deal with Minerva,'_ he thought.

Sitting down to breakfast, he was surprised to find Minerva in a rather cheery mood. Her anger from earlier in the week was gone, and Severus felt lighter knowing that things were back to normal. He could hide behind his scowl and sarcasm again, just as he had for years.

_'You've done the right thing,'_ he told himself, as though saying it for the hundredth time would make it true.

* * *

Leah was jittery on Friday morning as she and Tonks packed her things. 

"Calm down, everything will be fine."

"I know. I'm just so excited! I can hardly wait to see Hogwarts! It must be amazing."

"It is, but we have to hurry and get you packed. Kingsley will be here soon to collect you. You're going to like him, Leah. He's really fun and a great teacher," Tonks said. "I'm sorry that Remus and I can't take you to the station."

"Tonks, you've done plenty. Now, you're sure that it's not too much trouble for your friend to hang out with me on the train?"

"Definitely not, he's got to get to school today, too. He was in London this week doing some things for the Ministry, and he was going to take the Express anyway. Besides, he wanted to meet you."

"You didn't tell him about Severus and I, did you? I really don't want to get in trouble with Minerva. We already told Molly."

"No way. I told him you were Minerva's niece just like we planned. Anyway, it's probably good that you don't mix with the students too much until you get sorted and _Aunt Minerva_ makes her announcements."

A sound series of knocks echoed through the house. Tonks immediately turned and headed toward the front door. Leah heard a deep and enthusiastic voice greet Tonks, and she peered around the corner before rolling her suitcases into the hallway.

"You must be Leah. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. Great to meet you! Minerva's niece, huh?"

Leah paused for a moment to take in the man who stood before her. He was black, incredibly tall and bald with a shiny, gold earring. He reminded her of a pirate, and her immediate thought was how jealous Severus would be when he found out that her striking new friend escorted her on the train to Hogwarts.

"Guilty as charged. I _really_ appreciate you helping me make the trip to Hogwarts today. I'm sure Tonks told you how new this all is to me," she said, trying to smile innocently.

"Glad to do it. We can get to know each other on the train some before you're officially my student."

"You'd best be on your way or you're going to be late," said Tonks.

"Thank you so much, Tonks, for everything," Leah said, hugging her tight. "And please tell Remus the same for me, will you? I'll keep in touch and let y'all know how everything is going."

"I'm counting on it," Tonks said with a wink.

* * *

Using the Underground once again, Leah and Kingsley made their way to the train station. As they closed in on the pillar leading to Platform 9 ¾, Kingsley stopped. "Now, Leah, do you see those people with the luggage trolley up there?" 

Leah nodded.

"Watch them for a minute," he instructed, waiting for Leah's reaction.

"They're gonna—" Leah paused with a puzzled look on her face. "OK, what just happened?"

"They crossed through onto Platform 9 ¾, and we're about to do the same thing. Come on."

Leah watched, incredulous, as another group of people did the same thing. Kingsley offered his hand, and Leah gladly took it as they pushed their cart and made a run at the pillar. Leah closed her eyes and squealed as they ran.

When she felt Kingsley let go of her hand, Leah slowly opened her eyes and found that she was not dead; in fact, she was standing before the most magnificent train she had ever seen, The Hogwarts Express.

"Really something, isn't it?" he said, noticing the awed look on Leah's face as steam swirled in the air around them.

"We get to ride on _that_ to the school?" Leah asked, shaking her head in wonder.

She felt Kingsley's hand at the small of her back as she heard his deep voice. "Come on, let's claim a compartment and get settled."

_'God, I miss Severus,'_ Leah thought as she walked.

Looking around the train, Leah felt ancient. It was like being a chaperone on a field trip, but at the same time, she felt like she was getting a second chance to be a kid again and relished the gift of being able to experience everything with new eyes.

Once she and Kingsley were settled in their compartment and the Express was pulling away from the platform, Leah felt the call of the sandman.

Noticing Leah's state, Kingsley offered, "Why don't you rest for a bit? I've got to take a quick walk around to make sure everyone's behaving themselves. I'll be back in a little while."

The compartment door was barely closed when the gentle rocking of the train lured Leah away to dreamland.

_She saw Severus pacing back and forth in front of a roaring fire. Leah could tell that the room was large, but wasn't able to make out much about it's décor as the fire was the only source of light. He seemed to be worried, muttering quietly to himself as he paced._

_Severus walked over to a desk and opened the bottom drawer, reaching to the back for something. Leah watched him withdraw the desired object and gaze intently at it as he faced the fire. After a few moments of study, he pressed it to his chest and closed his eyes, leaning his head back and letting out a ragged breath._

_Leah watched him struggle with himself while stowing the item back in it's hiding place. Severus stalked back over to the fireplace and grabbed an empty vase from the mantle, sending it hurling into the fire with a loud crash._

Leah woke to find Kingsley sitting across from her reading the _Daily Prophet_. She felt warm and comfortable and realized that he had covered her with his robe while she slept.

"You looked like you were cold when I came in, so I covered you up," he said peering over his paper at her.

"That was sweet, Kingsley. Thanks," she said, sitting up in the seat, still covered in the robe. "So, what subject do you teach? Tonks told me, but I can't remember. Arts or something?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was an Auror for years. Did Tonks tell you about her job?"

"No, but Remus did, and I think it's fascinating. I'm really going to like your class, then," Leah replied. "So, give me the low down on the other teachers."

"Well, you'll have Professor Binns for History of Magic, he's a ghost, and really boring; Professor Flitwick for Charms, the students seem to like him pretty well; Minerva for Transfiguration, and you know your Aunt; and let me see…that leaves Professor Snape for Potions. Unless you're in Slytherin house or really good at Potions, you might not like him."

"Why do you say that?" Leah asked innocently.

"He's really severe. In fact, his first name is _Severus_, can't get much plainer than that. I've known him for a long time and I don't think I've ever seen him smile. He's not like you."

"What does _that_ mean? How am I?" Leah asked.

"You know, friendly, engaging."

"Oh. Well, thanks for the warning. We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll be really good at Potions."

"Maybe. Oh yeah, you'll be in Divination, too, with Professor Trelawney. It's a third year class, but Tonks said Minerva wanted you in it. I'm not sure why. I don't get the feeling your Aunt likes her too much. Minerva's more into the _facts_, if you know what I mean," Kingsley said with knowing smile.

Leah and Kingsley talked most of the way to Hogwarts, getting to know each other, and when it began to get dark outside, he excused himself to take another walk through the train.

"Go ahead and get your school robe out and put it on. We'll be there soon," he said before closing the compartment door.

Leah didn't notice Kingsley linger to enjoy the view through the compartment window while she searched for her robe.

* * *

"Well, thanks for riding with me and giving me all the inside dirt. I really appreciate it. I guess I'll see you in class, _Professor Shacklebolt_." 

_'Not if I see you first,'_ he thought as she exited the train with the other first years. He reached for his robe, noticing immediately that it had absorbed her lavender scent.

Leah followed the enormous man ahead carrying the lantern toward the boats that would take her to the castle. Kingsley had told her all about him; he liked Hagrid very much and said that he would be surprised if Leah didn't, too.

As the other first years stared at her, wondering what in the world she was doing there in student robes, Hagrid introduced himself.

"Yer mus' be Leah…Headmistress McGonagall's niece," he said, looking down at her and holding his lantern high.

"Yes, I am, and you must be Hagrid," Leah said extending her hand to him. He shook her small hand with his enormous one and smiled kindly down at her.

"If you'll jus' wait 'ere, yer can ride in the las' boat wit me."

"Thanks very much, I'd like that. I think I'm starting to worry the other students," Leah said with a nervous laugh.

"Nah, they prob'ly think yer a new professor's all."

When all the other first years were in the boats ahead of them, Hagrid helped Leah into the last boat with him. Her breath caught in her throat as she got her first glimpse of the castle.

The moon shone down from a sky full of crystalline stars, casting an ethereal glow on the surrounding forest and mountains, illuminating the place that she would soon call home. It was spectacular.

Leah sniffed quietly and brushed away a few tears as subtly as she could; she didn't want Hagrid to think she was one of those weepy girls who burst into tears all the time, although she seemed to be doing more than her fair share lately.

"'S'alright," Hagrid said kindly. "Had the same reaction m'self the firs' time I saw'r it."

"Professor Shacklebolt was right. I do like you, Hagrid."

Hagrid blushed at the compliment and said, "Do ya know him, too?"

"Not really, I just met him today. He brought me to the station and shared a compartment with me on the train. Tonks thought it would be a good idea for me not to mix with the other students too much before I get sorted. I'm kind of a special case, I guess."

Hagrid nodded in reply as the boat approached its final destination.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Severus skulked into the Great Hall, taking his usual place at the head table and wondering how long he would have to sit there through the usual boring evening. The only part he was even remotely interested in was the sorting ceremony, and that was just to see what new students would end up in his house.

He sat idly with his thoughts miles away, wearing his usual expression, the scowl. He didn't even look up as the first years entered the Great Hall, his hands receiving the majority of his attention.

* * *

Leah was glad to see Kingsley's familiar face waiting in the entrance hall to lead her in with the other first years. As she entered the Great Hall at the back of the group of terrified first years, she noticed the enchanted night sky above that Tonks mentioned. The very next thing she noticed was her dark horse, Severus, sitting at the head table with the other professors. He looked foreign to her. Callous, bitter and unapproachable._ 'This must be what Remus and Kingsley were talking about,'_ she thought.

Standing with the first years, all waiting anxiously to be sorted, Leah did her best to blend in and stay out of sight. Her height made that difficult, but Severus had not seen her yet and the sorting began as it usually did, with Headmistress McGonagall calling everyone's name alphabetically.

As Kingsley took his seat at the head table next to Severus, he looked eagerly up at the sorting ceremony that was nearly half way over.

"New cologne, Kingsley?" Severus asked nastily, but as soon as he uttered the words, he recognized the scent and looked up just in time to hear Minerva calling, "Manning, Leah".

He was frozen in his seat as he watched Leah come forward and sit primly on the stool to be sorted, her legs angled to one side and crossed at the ankle. Severus tried his best to control his expression as he waited to hear what house she would be in. His heart had momentarily relocated to his throat.

_'Not Slytherin…please…,'_ he thought desperately.

"Gryffindor!" called the sorting hat as Minerva beamed with pride and turned to see Severus' reaction.

"Nice. I thought that was where she'd end up," Kingsley said when Leah walked over to join the table of bewildered Gryffindors.

"What, precisely, is that supposed to mean, Kingsley? Do you know Miss Manning?" Severus asked as calmly as possible.

"A little, I brought her to the station this morning and shared a compartment with her on the Express. She's Minerva's niece."

"That would explain your unique scent," Severus sneered, boiling with rage, too angry to roll his eyes at the niece comment.

"I don't think so, Severus. She fell asleep on the train, and I laid my robe over her because she looked cold. You give me way too much credit…or way too little. It's hard to decide in this case."

Severus looked over at her seated with her fellow Gryffindors, and as he did, Leah caught his eye. A satisfied smirk played on her face. He knew a challenge when he saw one.

The sorting ceremony ended and Headmistress McGonagall stood to make her remarks before the feast.

"Welcome! I am so pleased to see you all. I will make one quick announcement before we begin the feast. Surely, you all noticed that Miss Leah Manning, who was just sorted into Gryffindor House, is a bit older than our usual first years. Leah is my niece, from America, and she will be studying with us this year as she has just learned that she is a witch. I expect everyone to do their best to make her feel welcome and treat her as you would any of your fellow students. I will be doing the same. And now, let the feast begin."

Severus glared daggers into Minerva's back while the sumptuous meal appeared out of thin air before everyone. Leah, however, began to eat quite happily and make friends with her fellow students. They were all naturally curious about her.

After the feast was over, Minerva pulled Leah aside and led her along behind the other Gryffindors toward the dormitory.

"Congratulations on Gryffindor House, Leah! I was head of Gryffindor for many years until I became Headmistress. I hear you took a compartment on the train with Professor Shacklebolt today. He'll be your head of house this year, so feel free to go to him with any problems you might have. Of course, you can always come to me if you like, but he would be a more appropriate first point of contact."

"Alright, I'll do my best to follow the chain of command. Professor Shacklebolt is really nice, so I don't see it being a problem."

"Good. Leah, I have changed your accommodations somewhat since our discussion, you will now be rooming with Marian Jennings. She's Head Girl this year and a seventh year in your house. As Head Girl, she would have had her own room, but she has just graciously agreed to share with you. I hope this is satisfactory."

"It's perfectly fine. I only hope that my new roommate doesn't mind too much. I hate to keep her from having something she's earned," Leah said, concerned.

"Not at all. She's glad to have you. Take a left here," she instructed. "Did you notice Professor Snape's reaction to you?" Minerva asked in a whisper.

Leah nodded with a wicked smile as they laughed silently.

* * *

Severus raced back his rooms after the feast, leaving the Slytherin prefects to handle everything. He had to escape. She was here…in his world…his Leah…a witch…at Hogwarts. He had no idea what to do or how to act.

He paced his chamber, back and forth in front of the fire, frustrated and angry.

"What am I to do now? How can I be near her like this? As teacher and student? This is a dangerous game. It seems I have underestimated my Leah," he muttered to himself as he paced.

He stalked over to his desk, unlocking the bottom drawer with his key and pulling out the picture he stole from Minerva's desk upon his return to school. It was the very same one that James showed him sitting in his living room a few weeks ago.

Severus approached the fire as he gazed at it. _'Why are you so determined?'_ he wondered, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

As he replaced the picture in his desk and locked it, anger blossomed within him. Severus was furious with himself for letting this happen. _'I could have prevented it all if I had never gone to find her,'_ he told himself. _'Why did I go?'_

He reached for the first thing he could find on the mantle, an onyx vase, and he threw it with all his fury into the fire.

* * *

Leah was unpacking her things when Marian Jennings, her new roommate, came through the door. Marian was a short girl with wavy, blonde hair, hazel eyes and a no-nonsense look about her.

"Hi, I'm Leah Manning. I didn't get a chance to meet you at dinner, and I really want to thank you for sharing your room with me. I feel badly that you could have had your own room if it hadn't been for me."

"No worries," Marian said lightly. "When Headmistress McGonagall said that you were her niece, I was eager to meet you."

"Well, that's really nice of you, but now that you're stuck with me and, you know, me being a Yank and all, I wasn't sure if you would be so happy about it. I promise I'll study hard and try not to get into too much trouble. Aunt Minerva said you were 'Head Girl', and I imagine that comes with some responsibility," Leah said. "I hope we'll get to be good friends, because I really don't know many people here."

"I'm sure we will," Marian said with a genuine smile. "This weekend will give us some time to get to know each other, and maybe I can teach you some stuff that will give you a head start. You know, basic spells and stuff."

"That would be fantastic! I'd love to get a head start so I don't look like a moron on the first day. I'm already way older than everyone else, I don't need to stand out any more than I already do," Leah said with a sarcastic smile.

Leah and Marian continued talking as they prepared for bed. Their room seemed exceptionally large to Leah, with it's own bathroom and wide windows that looked out over the lake.

Leah thought of the evening she and Severus stood out in the storm on her lake as she put on her nightgown and blew out her candle. It was difficult for her to settle down and go to sleep knowing that Severus was somewhere in the castle.

* * *

Severus was also having a hard time going to sleep with the knowledge that Leah was close by. He tossed and turned in his bed, falling asleep after several hours, tangled in his crimson sheets and black velvet coverlet.

He dreamed of Leah as she was that Sunday morning at the lake house, wrapped only in the bed sheet, sitting in a full class in his dungeon making a flawless potion. As a result, he was grumpier than usual the next morning at breakfast.

* * *

Marian woke Leah for breakfast on Saturday morning as the sun beamed through the windows of their room.

"Come on, I'll give you a tour of the school and grounds after we eat. There's so much I want to show you," Marian said enthusiastically.

"OK, I'm coming," Leah said rubbing her eyes. "I need to wear this robe thing over my clothes, don't I?"

"Not on the weekends, you don't. Just wear your regular clothes."

Leah dug around for her favorite jeans; she knew they would put Professor Snape in his place.

When Leah walked into breakfast with Marian, she immediately spotted Severus at the head table looking vaguely hung over, and she hoped it was because he had laid awake all night thinking of her.

"Oops," Leah said nonchalantly as she accidentally-on-purpose dropped her napkin before taking her seat. She bent to pick it up. Leah glanced at the head table to see if her shameless display had worked and was pleased to see that Severus had been appropriately affected. _'Gotcha.'_

What Leah did not see was that Professor Shacklebolt was similarly affected as he came in the side door. _'What a lovely view,' _he thought to himself.

A few bites in, Leah was distracted from her breakfast by a large number of owls flying through the Great Hall.

"Mail's here," Marian said as a gray owl landed on the table in front of them. "Well, take it, Leah."

"Take what?" Leah asked in confusion.

"Your letter. See it tied there on her leg?"

"Oh, right," Leah said, reaching cautiously to untie the letter, terrified the owl would try and bite her. She wasn't used to birds of prey presenting her with letters. Unfolding the letter, Leah saw that it was from James.

* * *

Friday, September 1, 2006

Dear Leah,

How do you like Sadie? She's going to carry letters back and forth for us while you're at school. Pretty nifty, huh?

I hope your first days there are going well, and I'm sure you've seen Severus by now. How is he? I'm picturing you strutting around doing your best to give him hell. I'm right, aren't I?

I'll be waiting anxiously to hear all about how things are going. Miss you, honey. Got my fingers crossed.

Very Sincerely Yours,  
James

* * *

Leah smiled as she folded her letter back up and heard Marian ask, "From your family? You're smiling awfully big. Boyfriend, maybe?"

"Nope, just a good friend," Leah replied casually, tucking the letter into her back pocket.

Breakfast was successful all the way around; she caught Severus' eye, had a letter from James and was introduced to several of her fellow Gryffindors, who all received her kindly.

As promised, Marian took Leah on an extensive tour of the castle after they ate, but Leah was really only interested in one place, the dungeon.

"This is where you will have Potions. It takes a little while to get down here, so you'll want to allow a couple of extra minutes. Professor Snape can get really nasty when you're late. He's a real git. Come on, _let's go_ before we run into him," Marian said, making a face like she had just eaten something disgusting.

"Yeah…right…I'm coming," Leah said, lingering in the doorway.

Turning the corner at the end of the corridor with Marian, she ran headlong into Professor Shacklebolt and the dreaded Professor Snape.

Kingsley caught her by the arm before she fell. "Leah! It's nice to see you this morning. Getting a tour with our new Head Girl?" Turning to Marian, he extended his hand. "I haven't had a chance to speak to you since you were selected. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Professor Shacklebolt. I'm so pleased," Marian said, beaming with pride. "Leah, this is Professor Snape, our Potions Master."

Leah gave Severus a smoldering look. "I've heard a lot about you, Professor, and I'm very much looking forward to my first Potions class."

"Indeed. I am curious to see whether you have an aptitude for Potions or not," he replied, doing his best to sound bored.

"Professor Snape, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. You see, I have an aptitude for whatever I put my mind to." While her tone was friendly, it was clear to Severus that she was trying to threaten him.

"Time will tell. And now if you will excuse me, there are matters that require my attention," he said icily as he nodded at her.

When Professor Snape was around the corner, Marian shot Leah a look that said, 'See what I mean?'

"Come on, ladies, it's too nice a day to be down here in the dungeon," said Professor Shacklebolt.

"You're right," Leah replied. "Why don't you show me some of the grounds, Marian? Care to join us, Professor?"

"Unfortunately, I also have matters that require my attention this morning. Why don't you stop by my office tomorrow afternoon around teatime, Leah? As your head of house, I'd like to make sure you're ready for classes on Monday since everything is so new to you," Kingsley offered.

"That would be nice. I'll see you then," Leah replied.

"Well done, Leah," Marian said in the next corridor. "You ran off Snape _and_ got an invite from Shacklebolt. You'll have to teach me how you do it."

"I don't have any special tactics. You just can't let anyone push you around. With people like Snape, you just have to kill 'em with kindness. It's a Southern _thang_," Leah replied with a raised eyebrow and a sly look. "He's probably not so bad somewhere under that nasty façade. He just needs someone who knows how to push the right buttons. Maybe I'll take that on as a project? See if I can get a smile out of him."

"You're mental! Nothing could make him happy, but I'd love to see you try. It would be a major coup if you could manage it, Leah."

"I _do_ love a challenge. Maybe you could give me a little Potions tutoring before classes start? But we would _have_ to keep this just between us. Aunt Minerva probably wouldn't like it."

"It'll be our secret," Marian said as she held out her pinky.

"A pinky swear? I can already see we're going to be good friends, Marian."

"I think so, too, but you're never going to get to Snape. Even if you did get him in a good mood, he'd never let anyone see him smile."

"Don't think so, huh? How about a little wager to make it more interesting?" Leah said, looking mischievous.

"You're on! Shall we say five Galleons?"

"Done," Leah said as they shook on the bet.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Severus was sitting in his study when he heard a knock at the door. "Enter," he called stiffly from his chair. He looked up to see the Headmistress approaching his desk, her eyes narrowing on the crystal glass halfway full of reddish-brown liquid in his hand.

"It's a bit early in the day for firewhiskey, isn't it, Severus?"

"It is your fault that I have resorted to this, Minerva. I _cannot_ believe that you let her in as a student," he said, circling the rim of the glass with his index finger. "Already giving her special treatment, too…I saw her with Miss Jennings getting a tour this morning. And I hear Kingsley escorted her to school yesterday."

"You're not _jealous_, are you?" Minerva asked, knowing she wouldn't receive a reply. "For your information, I did not arrange for Kingsley to escort her. Tonks and Remus were both working and were unable to take her to the station, so Tonks asked him since he was already making the trip. We both know she would have rather had _you_ with her."

His only reaction was an angry sigh.

"Why must you be a stubborn arse about everything?!" Minerva exclaimed. "I only hope that you haven't lost her by the time you come to your senses."

"What would you have me do, Minerva?! Even if I wanted to, my hands are _tied_ now that she is a student!"

"Well, I guess you'll have to figure something out. Leah is a witch and there was no better place for her to learn magic than here. I was not going to deny her that, especially when you had just pushed her away." Minerva paused for a moment as her face softened. "You could redeem yourself so easily, Severus. If I were you, I would show her a little kindness or she may decide to show you no mercy."

Minerva looked back at him with a raised eyebrow before she closed the door behind herself. The sound of glass breaking against the stone wall of Severus' chamber pulled her from her thoughts as she made her way back down the corridor.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Saturday, September 2, 2006  
3:30 p.m.

I am such a fool! I should have known that Minerva wouldn't be able to leave well enough alone, and now Remus and Tonks are involved. Can this get any worse? _The Daily Prophet_ will probably be here any minute to interview me for a feature story on this disaster.

I have made an incredible mess of things. I have hurt her. Leah put her trust in me, and I failed her. How could she still love me after what I have done? But she must, or she wouldn't be here, waiting around every corner to tempt me.

Perhaps I will not let her get away with this so easily. Am I Severus Snape or not? I may have a battle ahead of me, but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy fighting it…or turning it around on her.

Leah Manning is going to rue the day she thought she could outmaneuver me.

* * *

Leah enjoyed her first full day at Hogwarts with Marian; she saw the entire castle, met most of her teachers and spent the afternoon outside walking by the lake. She was especially pleased at the outcome of her chance meeting with Severus.

After dinner, Leah was ready to get a jump on some of her classes. She skimmed _Hogwarts, A History_ in an attempt to familiarize herself with her new surroundings.

The Gryffindor common room was extremely crowded that night, so she and Marian adjourned to their room for the lessons. By the time they went to bed, Leah had the hang of a few basic spells and made it through quite a bit of _Magical Drafts and Potions_ and _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_, asking Marian lots of questions along the way.

"I don't see why you're spending so much time trying to get ahead with Snape," Marian said as she pulled their window closed. "He's a lost cause."

"Well, maybe that's why he's so cranky, Marian. If everyone gave up on you, you would probably be a git, too. Besides," Leah said as she laid on her bed, leaning on her elbows with her face in her hands. "I hate to lose a bet."

* * *

Leah and Marian slept in and skipped breakfast on Sunday morning. As Leah slowly came to consciousness in her bed, she realized just how lucky she was; she was getting a chance at whole new life. She looked lovingly upon the cool, stone walls and floor of her room, and thought, _'I'm actually in a castle...and I'm a witch…a real witch!'_

Leah promised herself that no matter what happened with Severus, she would enjoy her time at Hogwarts and make the most of it.

Later that afternoon, Leah knocked on the door of Professor Shacklebolt's office for tea. Kingsley greeted her, and she saw a small table and two chairs situated across the room next to three tall windows that stretched almost from the ceiling to the floor. Tea was set out on the table waiting for them.

"Miss Manning, please come in."

"Thank you for having me, Professor Shacklebolt," Leah said as he closed the door behind her.

"Leah, while we are in here, away from the other students, you can call me Kingsley if you like."

"OK, Kingsley."

"Come have some tea and we can talk about how everything is going. I trust your tour was thorough yesterday?" he asked.

"Yeah, Marian's great! I am _so_ lucky that she agreed to let me room with her. So far, the age difference hasn't been a problem. All the Gryffindor's have been very nice."

"That's good, but bear in mind that you might not find the students in the other houses as friendly. Being the Headmistress's niece and getting a little different treatment might cause you some grief, not that there's anything to be done about it. I just don't want you to be surprised," he said, admiring the way the afternoon sun illuminated her auburn hair.

"I expected that, but thanks for the warning. I've been looking through some of my books trying to get a bit of a head start, and Marian's helped me with a few basic spells, too," Leah said, head held high. "Although, there's not much I can do for Divination. I guess you either see things or you don't. It doesn't seem like something you can learn."

"It's not, really. Like I said on the train, usually students don't take it until their third year, and even then, Divination is an elective. Do you know something you're not telling me?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't think so. Maybe Aunt Minerva knows something she hasn't told _me_."

"Hmmm," Kingsley wondered in his deep bass.

_'Severus,'_ Leah thought dreamily as she looked out the window at the edge of the forbidden forest.

* * *

Sunday, September 3, 2006

Dear Tonks and Remus,

I met Professor Snape yesterday while I was getting a tour of the school from my new roommate. I had never actually met him before, and I was sorely disappointed with his disposition. I much prefer Severus. Although I did get the feeling that I affected him in some way, even if he was still cold and distant. It was a start.

Kingsley, however, has been incredibly nice to me. I had tea with him this afternoon at his invitation, and we talked for a long time about my first impressions of the school and if I was all ready for classes. Is he straight? Just curious, because he's so great! It's hard to believe no one has caught him yet. I really enjoy talking with him, probably because his voice reminds me of Severus.

Thank you again for taking me in and being so kind to me last week. I appreciated it more than you know. I hope all is well in London, and I'll keep you posted as things develop here.

Much Love To You Both,  
Leah

* * *

The Great Hall was simmering with activity the next morning as everyone ate and talked, waiting on their class schedules to be delivered.

Leah snuck a peek at Severus who was seated in his usual spot next to Kingsley; he looked as cold and forbidding as he had the day before. Where was _her_ Severus? The man who gallantly kissed her hand at James' house, who picked her up in a carriage outside the Jasmine Courtyard or who held her close as they slept. Leah would have been delighted with just a hint of any of those men, but all she got that morning was Professor Snape.

_'No wonder everyone gave up on him.'_ Leah silently recommitted to doing everything she could to bring back the man she fell in love with.

"Earth to Leah," Marian said, waving a piece of toast in front of her face.

"Sorry…what?"

"Class schedule, remember? Looks like you've got Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon. That's good. It will take you a few minutes to get from the dungeon up to Professor Shacklebolt's classroom. I don't imagine he'll be too hard on you if you're late," Marion said as she leaned in close to Leah's ear. "I think he fancies you."

"You wish," Leah said, looking shocked, but staying close to Marian so that they wouldn't be overheard. "He would never…why would he be interested in me? I mean, even if he was, I'd be sort of out of bounds, don't you think? Being the Headmistress's niece and all."

"If you say so," Marian said, sounding unconvinced. "Come on, I'll walk with you to your first class. The History of Magic classroom is on the way to Transfiguration."

* * *

Severus took a deep breath as he opened the dungeon classroom door to let in the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw first years. Leah was ready and waiting, undaunted, at the back of the line. She made her way in and set her books down next to a small boy with platinum blonde hair that Marian had introduced her to at breakfast, Charlie Mongomery.

"Charlie, right? Is this seat taken?"

"No, you can sit here. I bet you know some cool stuff, being Headmistress McGonagall's niece, don't you?"

"Well, I read ahead in the book a little, but I don't know any more than you do really. Sorry to disappoint you. I just found out about magic and being a witch and everything," Leah said, shrugging.

"That's OK, you can still sit with me. Might give me some protection from Snape, I've heard he's awful!" Charlie whispered.

Leah's laughter rang out over the noise of everyone getting settled, and she whispered back, "No sweat, I've got your back," to a blushing Charlie.

"Something funny you would like to share with the rest of the class, Miss Manning?" Professor Snape asked in an attempt to call everyone to order.

Looking up, Leah said, "No Professor, just getting to know my fellow students. I sincerely apologize for the disruption. You now have my full and undivided attention."

While the class was busy looking to see Professor Snape's reaction, Leah winked flirtatiously at him.

Leah was impressed, but disappointed to see him turn his stone-faced attention to beginning his lecture. Charlie beamed at her side, and Leah figured she had found a Potions partner for the term.

As Severus spoke of the "subtle science and exact art" of Potions, Leah thought how incredibly intoxicating his voice was; she would have been happy to listen to him for hours on end. He could have read the phonebook or instruction manuals and she would have been perfectly content. If she could only hear one sound for the rest of her life, it would be Severus' black velvet voice.

"Miss Manning, you will see me before you leave," Leah heard him say as everyone was gratefully exiting the classroom. Charlie looked concerned.

"I guess I better see what he wants. Save me a seat in Defense Against the Dark Arts, will you?"

Charlie saw Leah approach Snape's desk and the flick of a wand before the door slammed shut in his face.

_**Soundtrack Entry #17 – I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace**_

89


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Once the other students filed out of the dungeon and the door was safely closed behind them, Severus sat at his desk regarding the woman he loved more than anything or anyone he had ever known, and he understood just how fortunate he was for those few, precious days. He was, however, filled with frustration and bitterness at the current situation, and that was what he chose to show his Leah on her first day of class.

"Your _Auntie Minerva_ asked me to give you this," he said, rolling his eyes and holding out a small roll of parchment to Leah.

"Thank you. I enjoyed my first lesson with you, Professor."

"I imagine you did, Leah. You seem determined to torture us both with this ridiculous charade," he said, his voice as hard and cold as marble.

"No, Severus, I think it's _you_ that enjoys torture. It's not a charade for me. I want to learn magic, and I want to be with you. This is the best way I know to achieve both of those goals, so I'll be around for as long as it takes."

"At least you'll get an education out of it."

"We'll see. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late for King—… Professor Shacklebolt's class. Good afternoon, Professor," Leah said venomously, turning her back on him and striding from the dungeon classroom.

* * *

_'Asshole!' _Leah thought, rushing to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. _'You might as well start calling me the bus driver, Severus, because I'm about to take you to school.'_ Exactly _how _she would do it, she didn't have a clue. 

Leah reached the classroom and took her saved seat next to Charlie just as Professor Shacklebolt stood up from his desk to begin the lecture.

"Thanks," she whispered to him.

"What happened? Did you get detention?"

"No, he just had a note for me from Aunt Minerva. She wants me to come for tea this afternoon…probably wants to see how my first day of classes went."

"Was Snape mean to you?" Charlie asked, his light brown eyes wide with curiosity and innocence.

"Yeah, but he doesn't scare me," she replied coolly.

* * *

Leah made her way toward the Headmistress' office after class, and as she rounded the final corner, she found Minerva waiting for her in the corridor speaking to a woman Leah had not yet seen around the castle. From the back, she reminded Leah of a gypsy with her sparkly shawl, wild, graying hair and long, patterned skirt. 

Noticing Leah, Minerva turned to her. "There you are, right on time. This is Professor Trelawney. She will be your Divination instructor."

Leah liked the look of her, eccentric and artsy, in all her layers and spangles. She extended her hand in greeting, and Professor Trelawney immediately took it and turned it over to examine her palm.

"Just as I have Seen…now that you're here, we can begin. I believe your class is my last one tomorrow afternoon, you will stay after for a talk with me, my dear," she said, looking intensely into Leah's blue eyes through her thick glasses.

"Um, sure, that would be nice, Professor. I look forward to…" Leah replied as Professor Trelawney wandered around the corner and down the corridor.

Turning to Minerva, Leah raised an eyebrow and asked quietly, "What was that about?"

"If you'll follow me, we can talk about it over some tea. I did not give you the password in my note," Minerva said.

"I didn't know I needed one."

Minerva smiled as she stood before the magnificent entrance to her office and said, "Good, Better, Best, Never let it rest, Until your good is better, And your better is best."

"That's some password," Leah said, marveling at the stairs revealing themselves before her.

"I know. I will be changing it soon, too much fuss," Minerva said, leading Leah up the steps and into her office.

Leah was impressed as she took in the large room; it was tidy, with traditional décor and a large fireplace toward the back. Her eyes roamed over the tapestries and portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses covering the walls.

"I love all of these portraits, Aunt Minerva! They give the room such a sense of history."

"You know, you _can_ just call me Minerva when we're alone in my office."

"Thanks, but I think I should stick to official titles. I referred to Professor Shacklebolt as Kingsley in front of Professor Snape earlier," Leah said, regret etched into her frown.

"Really? What did he do?" Minerva asked, brimming with curiosity.

"Nothing. He was pretty nasty to me, actually," Leah said, before recounting the conversation to Minerva.

"Well, maybe it's for the best. He seemed jealous this weekend when he found out you shared a compartment with Kingsley on the train," Minerva said with a significant look. "Maybe a little jealousy is what he needs. I imagine he can be quite possessive."

"He was _back home_, but I wouldn't want to put Professor Shacklebolt in an awkward position."

"We shall see how it goes, and if we need to let Kingsley in on the situation, we will." Minerva got up from her chair and walked over to the fireplace. "I would like you to meet someone, Leah," she said, indicating the portrait above the mantle. "This is Albus Dumbledore."

Leah enjoyed the other portraits around the castle with their subjects moving about and speaking to students, so she was not too surprised when the gray bearded gentleman in the portrait looked over his half-moon spectacles and greeted her. "Hello, Leah. I can't tell you how pleased I am to finally meet you."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but…do I know you?" Leah asked, politely confused.

"No, but _I_ know _you_. We were destined to meet," he said enigmatically.

"Destined?"

"Yes, Leah. Just as you are destined to be with Severus."

"But how do you—wait a minute. Your name is familiar." Leah paused for a moment as the puzzle pieces clicked into place in her memory. "It's you – the man Severus killed – his mentor. He told me about it in the church. It nearly broke him."

Albus nodded sadly to her from the enchanted portrait. "Unfortunately, it could not be helped. There was no way around it. Severus did what I needed him to do, and I regret the high price he has paid for it."

"But what does it have to do with Severus and me?"

"You might want to take a seat by Minerva and have your tea over here. It is rather a long story," he said as he got comfortable in his chair in the portrait. "Many years ago, our Divination professor, Sibyll Trelawney, came to me and told me of a vision she had. Truth be told, I had never put too much stock in her predictions, but this particular one interested me. She told me that I would meet a man who could show me Severus' destiny. This man would be foreign, and I would know him when he told me of his garden full of flowers at home. Jasmine, to be exact."

Leah was hanging on Albus' every word, and he could see from her expression that she was, once again, putting the pieces together.

"I was intrigued, but not convinced," Albus continued. "You see, I love Severus as a son and I want to see him happy. So, the following summer when I was visiting my old schoolmate, Edward, I was shocked to meet his nephew…from America…"

"Who worked at the _Jasmine_ Courtyard Hotel," Leah said, finishing the sentence and nodding.

"Precisely. It could not have been more clear, but how was James Parson going to 'show' me Severus' destiny? After talking with him at great length, I had learned all sorts of things about him, including his fondness for a certain front desk clerk at the hotel who was, at the time, a university student." Albus paused for a moment, taking a sip of his tea before continuing. "Now, Leah, have you ever felt like Severus was 'reading your mind'?"

"Yes! He really can? I _knew_ it!"

"He is incredibly proficient at seeing into other people's minds and memories and also at keeping other people out of his. I thought he might use his skills on you. I hope you are not too upset."

"No. I have nothing to hide. I have never been anything but honest with him," Leah replied.

"Good. I am also quite proficient at these same skills, and when I saw James' memories of you, I knew you were the one."

"The one? I mean, I _am_ a girl, and I know what _'the one'_ means, but I don't follow. Did Severus ever talk about someone in particular?"

"No, but he dreamed of her for years. He dreamed of _you_, Leah. I helped him store many of his memories in my Pensieve to hide them from those who would use them against him."

"You mean from Lord what's-his-name, starts with a V?"

"Yes, from Voldemort. Severus cherished his dream of you and didn't want it tampered with. Only in their dreams can some men be free, Leah. So, I stored it for him with the other memories. Although, memories are different from dreams in that you have only one memory of a specific experience, but dreams can reoccur. His dream of you was so precious to him that he wanted one stored for safe keeping, even though he continues to have it."

Leah could feel tears beginning to come as Albus asked, "Would you like to see the dream?"

"Yes, very much," Leah answered in a whisper.

"Minerva, if you would be so kind," Albus said as she crossed her office and indicated a large stone basin by the wall.

"Leah, come stand here," Minerva said, pulling out her wand and stirring the contents of the Pensieve. "Now lean forward, dear. That's it."

Leah felt Minerva take her hand as they were pulled forward into Severus' dream.

* * *

"Oh my God! We're at my lake house - that's my dock - and that's me!" Leah exclaimed. 

"Just watch, dear," Minerva said gently.

The women stood and watched by the tree that had been obliterated in the lightning storm. Leah watched herself stand on the dock in her towel, just as she had a couple of weeks ago on the night when she went skinny-dipping. The gravity of the situation hit her as Minerva took her hand again and they were pulled back into the present. Leah began to cry in earnest.

* * *

"I dreamed of him, too, you know," she said, seated with Minerva by Albus' portrait. "And my dream came true. It actually happened at the gala. He was there just like in my dream." 

Albus smiled. "I couldn't say for sure, but I would wager that he saw you that night at the lake. It would only be fair for him to live out his dream, just as you did."

"But what does all this mean?" Leah asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"I think you know what it means," Albus answered. "You and Severus are destined to be together. I know that he can be difficult, but I also know that you are very much in love with him, or you wouldn't be here. So, it is up to you to make him see the light. Severus loves you quite desperately, Leah, and it has shaken him to the core."

"But how will I convince him to accept it? To accept me?" Leah asked, pleading for help.

"That I do not know, but I do know that whatever it will take, you already have within you. You will know what to do when the time is right. Faith has already brought you this far, don't lose it now. But I will ask that you not share any of our discussion today with Severus, at least not until your battle is won. I wanted to help you with as much information as I could, but I do not think he would be pleased to know how much I have shared with you. At least, not yet."

* * *

Leah made it back to the Great Hall just in time for dinner and was greeted at the door by the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. 

"Good evening, my dear. I don't believe we have been introduced yet. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, but you may call me Sir Nicholas."

"It is a pleasure, Sir Nicholas. I'm Leah Manning."

"Yes, I know, the Headmistress' niece. Wonderful to have you in Gryffindor! Is everything alright?" he asked, noticing Leah forcing a smile.

"Just a long first day, thank you for asking."

"Well, perhaps some dinner will help. I believe Miss Jennings is waiting for you," Sir Nicholas added, floating down the table toward Leah's saved seat.

"Where have you been? I was worried Snape turned you into a toad or something," Marian teased, "until Charlie Montgomery told me that your aunt asked you to tea."

"It's been a long afternoon," Leah said, looking exhausted.

"Did something happen?"

"No," Leah lied. "Let's just say that I haven't been a student in a long time, and it might take me a few days to get back into a routine. I forgot how difficult it was."

As Marian listened to her friend, she noticed that the enthusiasm she saw in Leah's face over the past few days had vanished.

**_Soundtrack Entry #18 – Building A Mystery – Sarah McLachlan  
_**

* * *

**_Author's Note: _**_So, what do you think? How do you feel about the direction of the story so far? Any comments on the characters? Plot? My writing style? I would love some feedback! Thanks for reading and don't be shy about leaving me a review! -MinnKota_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Monday, September 4, 2006

Dear James,

I really miss you! I am making friends here, but since I can't really talk to them about what's going on, it's not quite the same. I could really use your shoulder tonight.

James, I don't understand him at all! How could he be so cold and closed-off? You wouldn't even recognize him here at school. The term 'asshole' doesn't even begin to cover it. I feel like I've never even met him, but when he meets my eyes, sometimes I can see traces of the man I knew. Minute traces, but still…I'm going to have to pull out the big guns if I'm going to succeed.

On the bright side, my classes are really interesting. I mean, I'm learning magic! How cool is that?! And my roommate, Marian, is wonderful. She's a seventh year, so she's 17, a little closer to my own maturity level, probably more so! Oh, and I made friends with a darling, little boy named Charlie. He's a first year like me, and he thinks I'm cool because I'm not scared of Professor Snape. James, for real, everyone either despises him or is scared of him.

I also need to tell you that you have played a large role in a prophecy. That's right, I said it! I met Albus Dumbledore today, and he told me about meeting you here in England and how everything fits together in this insane situation. It was incredibly overwhelming and I can hardly hold my eyes open, but I had to write you tonight. It's as close as I could get to a chat.

I have enclosed letters for Mom and Dad, Carmen and Dahlia. Will you make sure they get them? You can just scan and e-mail Carmen and Dahlia's from my desk if you like. They're in my address book. The letters should explain everything for them, but if I know them, they may call you with more questions.

Love you, miss you! Keep the letters coming.

Hope you are smiling,  
Leah

P.S. I hope you had a nice day off. Today was Labor Day, wasn't it? I am already starting to lose touch with things back home.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Monday, September 4, 2006  
11:20 p.m.

Having Leah in my classroom today was incredibly bittersweet. Seeing her in robes, so determined to learn her craft, endeared her to me even more. I find it hard to believe that I did not see that she was a witch, but I admit that I could have been blind to the clues due to my preoccupation with her other attributes.

The only way I could keep myself from succumbing to her today was to resort to cruelty. I fear that she was hurt, but undeterred – the exact opposite of what I intended. It takes a great deal of effort on my part to keep from using my Legilimency skills on her as I have in the past, but I feel certain that whatever I would see there would only torture me further. For now, I must do my best to keep her at arm's length.

* * *

After a good night's sleep, Leah woke with renewed hope about her situation. Classes that day went smoothly, and as she made her way to the North Tower for Divination, Leah realized that she had forgotten to ask what Professor Trelawney had been talking about in the corridor the day before. Her meeting with Minerva and Albus had left her with quite enough to occupy her thoughts.

She followed the other students up the ladder into the classroom, and settled herself at an empty table, as she did not recognize anyone to sit with.

Leah heard a familiar, distant-sounding voice coming from a tattered, blue velvet wing chair facing the fireplace. "Welcome to Divination. The time has come to begin our exploration of the unknown, to uncover the secrets hidden beyond the veil of preconception. Open your Inner Eye to the possibilities, my dears, and once you are all ready to relinquish yourselves to the divine, then, we can begin."

Leah had to suppress her urge to stand up and cheer; she suddenly felt like Ulysses, wanting "to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield"! Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed see a few other similarly affected souls.

Professor Trelawney looked just as much like a gypsy as she had the day before, but this time, Leah saw her differently, looking to her as a guide into the mysterious realm of possibility. She felt calm, yet energized, just as she had on those long evenings on the dock at her lake house.

As she gave out instructions for the day's activity, Professor Trelawney split up a few tables in order to pair everyone up with a partner to practice reading tea leaves. A very unhappy-looking Slytherin was directed to sit with Leah.

"Trelawney says I have to partner with you," said a tall girl with hard green eyes and long brown hair.

"I'm Leah Manning. It's nice to meet you."

"I know who you are," she said flatly. "The Headmistress' niece. I am Penelope Wilder. Let's get this over with."

_'Well, this is going to a lovely tea party,'_ Leah thought to herself while she filled their cups.

Leah regarded her leaves clumped at the bottom of the cup, and then consulted her textbook.

"Ladies, let's have a look, shall we?" Professor Trelawney said as she came to their table. "Oh, my! It seems you two are working toward a similar goal. See here how your leaves are laid in the same pattern, a similar path, but with different destinations. Leah, you will succeed. Do you See the sun at the end of your path? But, oh, Penelope, I'm sorry to say that your path leads toward destruction. Best to give it up now, I think." Professor Trelawney patted Penelope on the shoulder sympathetically before she moved on to the next table.

"Do you know what she was talking about?" Leah asked.

"I cannot imagine that we would _ever_ have anything in common," Penelope replied, looking down her nose at Leah like she was rancid meat.

Leah wore a sly grin while she evaluated Penelope and thought about the only thing they could possibly have a similar appreciation for. _'I know exactly what your goal is, baby, and you can forget it.'_

* * *

After class, Professor Trelawney and Leah sat in a pair of tattered, chintz armchairs facing each other by the window. The dying sun on the horizon did little to warm them, and Leah was grateful for the fire in the hearth.

"I wondered when you would get here, my dear."

"When I would get here? So, you've been expecting me?"

"Your Aunt did not tell you of our discussions?"

"No," Leah said shaking her head. "We went off on a tangent yesterday, and I guess she forgot."

"Leah, you are here to take my place. You are a Seer. I have been waiting for you ever since Professor Snape returned. I Saw that his arrival would precede your own, and I am ready to begin your training."

Leah sat wide-eyed as she processed Professor Trelawney's words; she felt like the pivotal, final piece of an intricate puzzle had just fallen into place, allowing her, at last, to see the entire image, glorious in its simplicity.

"I know that your Aunt does not think much of me _or_ my abilities, but I hope that you will not let her preconceptions cloud your opinion of Divination. You have a precious gift that is not to be wasted," she said with what sounded like forced calm, as though trying to underplay the emotion she felt. White knuckles gripping the arm of her chair gave her away.

"Professor Trelawney, thank you so much," Leah said on the verge of tears as she leaned forward to take her hand. "I always hoped that I had something special inside me, and I promise not to waste it. I am ready to relinquish myself to the divine."

Leah knew that she meant it, and while she swore to herself that she would do everything she could to nurture her gift, she still wondered, _'Did I just say that out loud?'_

"Then you will remain in this class for the fall term while I determine the extent of your gift. I have Seen that you will become my apprentice before I leave to meet my own destiny. I will ask you not to speak of this to anyone until I talk with your Aunt. I shall seek her out over the next few weeks to discuss the situation further."

"You have my word, Professor."

* * *

Leah beamed as she made her way into the Great Hall for dinner and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Today went better, huh?" she heard a young voice ask.

Looking across the table at Charlie Montgomery, Leah held out her arms. "I feel like I could fly!"

"That's not until next week, Leah. I guess no Potions makes for a good day then."

"You give Snape way too much power, Charlie. And what's not until next week?" Leah asked, helping herself to a generous spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"Flying lessons. You didn't know?"

"Flying lessons?" Marian joined the conversation and slid into the seat next to Leah. "You're going to love them! You seem like the daredevil type."

"Is it hard?" Charlie asked, worried.

"No, you'll be fine," Marian answered, trying to reassure him.

Leah noticed Charlie's concern and made a mental note to ask Marian about it later when they were alone.

"Looks like you had a better day today," Marian said cheerfully. "I was worried about you last night."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm better now…just had to have a little attitude adjustment."

Leah felt strong enough to sneak a peek at Severus and saw him talking with Professor Flitwick, oblivious to her. Kingsley, however, caught her eye and gave her a quick wink.

Leah smiled and cut her eyes at him coquettishly before she could stop herself; sometimes reflexes were a bitch.

_'Maybe Marian was right,'_ she thought, reaching for her pumpkin juice. _'Wouldn't that be an interesting twist?'  
_

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Just so you know...I am going to be on vacation next week. So, I will be posting three chapters this week, none next week and three the following week to keep from getting behind. Lots going on in this chapter - hope you enjoyed it! -MinnKota__  
_


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Dear Leah,

I am glad to hear that you are settled and that Kingsley is being so helpful to you. He is a good friend of mine, and I can tell you with great certainty that he fancies the ladies. He has written to me and asked more about you, in a casual way, of course. But, Leah, you may need to be careful. I am not sure how Kingsley's interest in you would affect your situation with you-know-who. I don't mean to worry you. Just want things to go according to plan.

Keep us informed of any new developments!

Your Friend,  
Tonks

* * *

Severus watched from a lonely, corridor window as the first year Slytherins and Gryffindors had their first flying lesson. _'This ought to take you down a few notches,'_ he thought as he watched. 

The morning had a triumphant feel with a gentle breeze, fat, puffy clouds and warm sunshine – perfect flying weather. Leah was radiant with excitement; ever since her talk with Professor Trelawney revealing her gift, she felt invincible and envisioned herself soaring through the sky on her broom.

While Madam Hooch instructed everyone on how to call their broom up and the proper stance for kicking off from the ground, Leah thought to herself how glad she was that Marian had suggested giving her a quick flying lesson. The girls had an easy time nicking a school broom and sneaking off to a secluded spot to practice the previous weekend. As requested, Marian didn't tell Leah that the Headmistress had asked her to do it.

Leah looked over and gave Charlie a quick, encouraging smile while everyone attempted to mount their brooms.

Severus was still at the window, just outside of Leah's field of vision, when he watched her take off flawlessly from the ground and zoom around impressively. He stood there for a moment, arguing with himself about whether he should be angry that it came so easy to her or glad that she was successful and happy. His pettiness won out, and he stomped away from the window like a preschooler having a tantrum.

He wished more than anything that he could have been the one with her. There were so many miraculous things for her to see and experience, and he knew that with her childlike curiosity, Leah was having the time of her life. Clenching his jaw in his anger, Severus wondered if she missed him as much as he missed her; for a moment he hoped she did. For that brief, shallow moment, he wanted her to feel the soul-deep ache that he did. He was tired of suffering alone.

* * *

Friday, September 15, 2006 

Dear Leah,

How are things going? I have been thinking, and I may have come up with an idea for your "big gun" to shake Severus up. I'm going to keep it a secret for now, and I hope you won't get too mad at me. Just give me a little time to confer with Minerva, and I promise that all will be revealed. Can you hear my evil laughter?

I e-mailed Carmen and Dahlia and passed along your letters, and I have talked with your Mom several times. Everything is fine here at home. I'm so glad that you are enjoying your classes, they sound fantastic! Send more details when you get a chance.

Take care of yourself, honey. Keep the faith.

Very Sincerely Yours,  
James

* * *

Leah hurried into Potions on a late September afternoon, barely making it through the door before Professor Snape slammed it shut with a flick of his wand to begin class. She gave him a taunting smile as he stalked to the front of the dungeon. 

Professor Snape assigned a calming draught for the day's project and went about his usual business of making everyone nervous as he looked over their shoulders while they worked. Luckily, Leah didn't have too much trouble with it and earned a sterile nod as Severus made his way around checking everyone's work. She felt relief wash over her at her success with the potion; Leah learned, much to her chagrin, that she was terrible at brewing potions. Charlie, however, was quite skilled at it already, and she was glad to have him as her partner.

Professor Snape did not make eye contact with her, but said quietly, "Miss Manning, see me after class," as he moved on to the next table.

Once again, she waited to see what Severus wanted as everyone filed out. Leah was hopeful as she approached his desk.

"I am not an owl, Leah. I would appreciate it if you could ask your Aunt to have someone else deliver her correspondence," he said, handing her an envelope.

Their fingers almost touched as she took it from him, and Severus felt her warmth, not just from her skin, but radiating from her entire being. He saw it in the way she looked at him. Somehow she was able to see past his harsh exterior and his unkind words to the man who was hiding beneath the surface. He knew then with great certainty that she was still in love with him.

"Alright," Leah said objectively, her eyes examining his face for any trace of what she was sure he felt for her. "How are you, Severus?"

"Quite well. I trust you are enjoying your classes. I hear that you are taking Divination," he said, trying to sound cordial.

"Yes, Professor Trelawney is fascinating." Leah paused for a moment before saying, "I miss you, Severus."

He noticed her wince as she said it, and he knew that she was preparing for some sort of backlash from him. He felt deep regret for his comments after her first Potions lesson, but before he could reply, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," he said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

Leah turned to see Penelope standing in the threshold.

"What is it, Miss Wilder?"

"I have a note for you from Professor Shacklebolt," she said, coming to standing next to Leah and holding out the note to Professor Snape with an optimistic look.

"You may go," he said, taking the note and indicating the door to Penelope.

Leah felt incredibly victorious, but also found herself feeling badly for Penelope. She suffered through crushes before on inappropriate men who had no idea she existed and remembered how much it hurt. At that moment, a horrifying thought crossed Leah's mind. _'Is that all I am to him?'_ Could he have dismissed what they shared back home so easily?

Leah knew that she had misread signs before. Obvious ones, with Will. So, it wasn't that far out of the realm of possibility that she was wrong this time. These fears swirled round and round in her head, making her dizzy.

Severus read the note while Penelope left, closing the door behind her. "Leah, would you wait for a moment and take this reply to Kingsley for me? I believe you are about to be late for his class."

Leah nodded in response, trying to hold back her emotions as Severus wrote out his short reply.

"Here you are," he said quietly, handing the note to her.

Leah took the note and left without a word, crying most of the way through the deserted corridors to Professor Shacklebolt's classroom.

She tidied herself and snuck into class, thankful once again for the seat Charlie saved for her. After class, Leah stayed for a moment to deliver Professor Snape's note and then hurried back to her room. She needed to release some of the emotion she was feeling or she worried she would explode; she was also trying to avoid being alone with Professor Shacklebolt after what Tonks said in her letter, just in case.

Setting her bag down at the foot of her bed, Leah remembered the note from Minerva.

**Leah, I would like to have tea with you on Saturday afternoon if you are free. There are some things we should discuss. –Aunt Minerva**

* * *

Thursday, September 28, 2006 

Dear James,

I just got a note from Minerva saying that she wants to have tea with me this weekend to discuss some things. You wouldn't have anything to do with that would you? Is the big gun ready to be unveiled? I've been dying to know what it is!

Things are going well here as far as school is concerned. Classes are great, especially Divination. I have something big to tell you, but I promised not to tell anyone until I spoke with Minerva about it. It's been keeping me going all this time while he is being so difficult.

Speaking of that, I'm sad to report that I am abysmal at Potions. And the way things are going, I doubt very sincerely that Professor Snape is likely to consider tutoring me. Fortunately, my little friend Charlie is a natural at them, and he is always glad to help me. I'm sure Severus gets a kick out of knowing that I have to hide behind an 11-year-old's skills in his class.

Will you make sure everyone gets the letters I am enclosing? Thanks!

Dinner beckons…

Hope you are smiling,  
Leah**  
**

* * *

_**Severus' Journal**_

Thursday, September 28, 2006  
10:20 p.m.

I watched Leah go to the owlery before dinner and send off a letter, to James, no doubt. I miss him as well and wish that I could correspond with him. It would be nice to have a friend to talk with about the situation, but I have no illusions about where his true allegiance lies. They have been friends for many years, and I know that he would always remain true to her.

I am not sure whether it was good or bad that Miss Wilder interrupted us earlier. I am torn between speaking openly with Leah and remaining hidden from her.

How long can this go on?

Regret has settled into my bones like cancer.

* * *

A heavy rain pounded the windows as Leah slept that night. 

_She was in her room getting ready for a special occasion. Marian was rushing around her in a panic looking for a mislaid earring. Looking out the window, Leah saw that it was a clear, moonlit night and felt deliciously excited, anticipating the evening's events._

_"Calm down, you look gorgeous. Gray's not going to be able to take his eyes off of you," Leah heard herself say. Marian's dress was the color of spun gold, and it made her look like an angel._

_Leah turned and looked in the mirror one last time as she knew it was time to go; she smiled serenely at what she saw before her. She was wearing the emerald green dress from the gala and was comforted by her memories of the last time she had worn it._

_**Soundtrack Entry #19 – Don't Miss You At All – Norah Jones**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

"Marian, who's Gray?" Leah asked with a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile as they descended the stairs to breakfast on Saturday morning.

Marian grabbed Leah's arm and yanked her into a corridor just outside the Great Hall, aghast at her roommate's query.

"Why? What did you hear?" Marian asked.

"Oh. So you like him."

"Yes," Marian said, letting out a guilty sigh. "Do you know him?"

"No, but I had a dream last night where his name came up. We were getting dressed for a party or function of some kind and I was telling you that he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of you," Leah said with a raised eyebrow.

"Gray Rushton is a seventh year, Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain," Marian said dreamily. "I've had a crush on him since first year."

"Will you point him out to me? I promise I won't do anything embarrassing."

"Fine, but let's be careful. I've never told _anyone_."

Leah held up her pinky, and Marian, now blushing scarlet, joined her in the sacred oath.

* * *

Tea time with Minerva came quickly, and Leah was grateful. Was it about Divination? Or was it James' "big gun"? Whatever it was, she now suspected that her green dress had something to do with it. 

Minerva was once again waiting for Leah in the corridor when she came around the corner.

"New password?" Leah asked.

Minerva nodded and said, "Tango". Leah followed her up to the office and sat down by the fireplace just as before.

"I have something for you." Minerva held a large package wrapped in brown paper. "From James."

"My dress!"

"Did he tell you?" Minerva asked, half suspicious, half surprised.

"No," Leah said shaking her head and smiling calmly. "I dreamed last night that I was wearing it while Marian and I got ready to go to a party."

"Then Sibyll was right!" Minerva said, clutching her chest.

"I hope so." Leah words came out slightly louder than a whisper.

"I am sure you have gathered that I do not think much of Sibyll's abilities. But, Leah, if you are truly a Seer, I would be most pleased to have you here at Hogwarts. Sibyll told me of her vision that you would become her apprentice and eventually take over for her as our Divination Professor. Have you Seen that also?"

"No, but my dreams have a way of coming true. I've always been able to See ahead to the outcomes of certain things, sometimes important things." Her shoes were suddenly intriguing.

When Leah looked up from the floor, Minerva was beaming. She threw her arms around Leah and took her into a hug that seemed to say "Welcome to the family!".

"If this works out, you could stay on here as an apprentice, not a student, for the spring term. Do you understand my meaning?"

"Yes. Severus and I would be colleagues, not teacher and pupil."

"Of course, this _is_ a school, and I could not be a party to any _improper_ activities, at least not any that I _hear _about," Minerva said, winking at her.

Leah was pleasantly shocked at Minerva's behavior, but, more importantly, she felt alive and burning with possibility.

"So, what's the dress for?" Leah asked with a wicked smile.

"James has suggested that Severus needs to see you in this dress to remind him of what he had and that I should create an opportunity for it to take place." Minerva looked at Leah with an equally wicked smile. "Dearest niece, this year we are going to have a Halloween Ball. I will announce it tomorrow."

* * *

Saturday, September 30, 2006 

Dearest James,

You did it! You are a genius! This is going to get through to him, I know it!

Minerva's Halloween Ball is going to be the perfect opportunity for me to show him what he's missing. It's too delicious! And I guess I can tell you about my other news now. I am a Seer! At least I think I am. It means that I have the "Inner Eye" to See future events. Professor Trelawney, the Divination professor, told me that she had foreseen my coming here! Can you believe it?

And last night, I had a dream of myself in the green dress that I unwrapped today in Minerva's office. That's right, you can say it. I'm a Goddess!!

I wish you could be here so I could see you and talk to you in person. I miss you so much!

Hope you are smiling,  
Leah

* * *

Sunday evening before dinner appeared on the tables, Headmistress McGonagall called for everyone's attention. 

"As you all know, today is the first of October and an appropriate time to make this announcement. This year, in celebration of Halloween, we will be having a masquerade ball. You are, of course, requested to come in costume. Dress robes, however, will also be acceptable. Should you have any questions about this event, you may speak to your head of house or to me."

Minerva clapped ceremoniously and a sumptuous meal appeared on the tables before everyone. There was a great deal of enthusiastic discussion regarding the Headmistress' announcement over dinner. Leah glanced over at Professor Snape to see if she could detect any reaction, but found him stone-faced as usual. He seemed to be the only one not involved in the excitement.

Later that night in the Gryffindor common room, Leah sat with Marian in front of a crackling fire, completing some of her assignments for the coming week. She thought to herself how much she loved the feel of the room; it reminded her of Tonks' and Remus' house, comfortable and welcoming. Old family attic.

* * *

Sunday, October 1, 2006 

Dear Tonks and Remus,

I am glad to say that I have some news for you at last! Aunt Minerva announced today that Hogwarts will be hosting a Halloween Masquerade Ball! The idea came from my good friend, James. He thinks that Severus needs to see me in a certain dress I wore at home to remind him of what we had. Not to brag, but it is rather stunning. I wore it at a formal function that was our first "date".

I hope James is right. I am on a roller coaster of emotion, constantly vacillating between hope and despair, and it is starting to wear me out. It's like constant PMS.

Other than that minor issue, everything else is going really well, except for Potions. My potion abilities are almost non-existent. Fortunately, I have found a partner in class who is much better than I am. My savior is an 11-year-old named Charlie Montgomery!

Love To You Both,  
Leah

* * *

"Well, I guess we know what night Gray won't be able to take his eyes off of you," Leah said as Marian put on her nightgown. 

"Do you really think so?"

"Yup. I wonder when he'll ask you."

"Hey! I almost forgot. How's the bet coming?" Marian asked, climbing into bed with an evil grin.

"Not so great. Maybe I can win it at the Halloween Ball. What would you say if I actually got him to dance? I think that would be just as good as a smile, maybe even better."

"Are you kidding me? You'll never get him on the dance floor! He probably wouldn't even come to the Ball."

"We'll just see about that," Leah replied, narrowing her gaze as she schemed.

* * *

Severus entered the staff room on Monday to relax with a book before lunch and discovered a notice on the bulletin board. 

**All Professors are requested to attend the Halloween Ball ****in costume****. –Headmistress McGonagall**

Reading this, Severus' lip curled in annoyance. He loathed the idea of having to not only attend, but attend _in costume_; he was not a child and was not interested in looking like one.

Before he could stop them, Severus found his thoughts straying to what type of costume Leah would like.

_'Stop it! Just stop!'_ he told himself. _'She is not yours, nor can you pursue her while she is your student.'_ Severus paused for a moment, looking out the window at the Quidditch pitch in the distance. _'But it would be satisfying to put _her_ on the defensive for a change.'_

Severus knew instantly what he would be wearing to the Halloween Ball, and with a twisted grin, he settled down into a brown, leather armchair with his book.

* * *

Leah thought to herself how much she loved Fall as she walked through the front doors and out onto the grounds in her running gear. If she was going to fit into her green dress perfectly at the end of the month, she needed to work off some of the rich, English food she was now eating. 

Passing Hagrid's hut and hitting her endorphin rush, she noticed Kingsley a short distance ahead out for a run as well. Dismissing her reservations about getting too friendly with him, Leah sprinted and caught up to him along the edge of the forbidden forest.

"Oi!" she yelled.

"Leah…we must…be starting to…rub off on you…," Kingsley panted as he slowed down to talk with her.

"Just a bit…you don't have to stop…I just…thought we could run…together if you want…," Leah said, wiping a bead of sweat trickling near her eye.

"Sure…it would be nice to have a partner…I usually only run around to the gates though…and then I _walk_ back…"

"Fine with me…I'm not sure I…can make it that far…I'll try…," she said, smiling.

He nodded and they began to run again, making their way to the main gate. It was a cloudy, cool October day, and Leah was enjoying the weather; it was still in the 80s at home this time of year. But at Hogwarts, the leaves were all turning brilliant shades of red, orange and gold, and Leah enjoyed how the trees blazed when the sun would look out from behind the clouds.

"I…wasn't sure…I was going to…make it," Leah panted when they stopped at the gate. "I'm way…out of shape."

Kingsley gave her a skeptical look. "You made it…just as far as…I did."

They caught their breath and stretched for a minute before beginning the walk back to the castle. Leah and Kingsley were quiet for the first few minutes they walked, the crunch of fallen leaves the only sound they made.

"So, do you run every Saturday?" Kingsley asked.

"I do now, with the Ball coming up, I mean. Gotta fit into my dress."

"Hmmm. What are you going as?" he asked.

"I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you. It's a surprise."

"Have it your way. I like surprises, but have you told _your date_ what you're going as?"

"Yeah, right!" Leah said, laughing. "I'm going stag, or I guess it would be _doe_ in my case. I don't think there is anyone here who would make an appropriate date for me. They're all either too young…or they're professors."

"You're probably right. It would be frowned upon, but if you're in need of a partner, I'd be happy to dance with you, Leah. I think that's allowed."

"Thanks, I'd hate to be a wallflower. I really appreciate it, Kings—I mean Professor Shacklebolt."

"I thought we agreed that you would call me Kingsley when we're not around other students."

"I know, but it's easier for me to keep things straight if I stick to official titles. I don't want to look like I'm getting any special treatment."

"Are you?"

Leah looked at him with a shocked and somewhat wounded expression.

"What I meant was, is anyone giving you a hard time?" he asked gently.

"Oh! Sorry. No, not really. I'm just remarkably bad at Potions is all, but I have a secret weapon," she replied, looking mischievous.

Kingsley questioned her with a raised eyebrow.

"Charlie Montgomery. He's my Potions partner, and he's always helping me out when Professor Snape isn't looking over my shoulder, which, by the way, makes me really nervous."

"I warned you that he could be difficult," Kingsley said in an I-told-you-so voice.

_'You have no idea,'_ Leah thought.

When they reached the castle, Kingsley turned to her. "So, same time next week?"

Leah didn't see any harm in just being friends with him, and perhaps Minerva was right – maybe a little jealousy would do Severus good.

"Deal. Have a good afternoon, Professor."

* * *

_**Author's Note: ** Just a quick reminder - I will not be able to post any chapters next week, but I'll be back in full force with three chapters the following week. Hope you liked this one...lots of good stuff to come! I'm curious. What do you think about Kingsley? Leave me a review and let me know. I'm kind of sweet on him myself. -MinnKota_


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Marian blushed as she very covertly pointed out a tall, sandy-brown haired boy with warm hazel eyes and a noble cleft in his chin.

"That's him," she whispered to Leah.

"Him? You mean Gray?"

Marian nodded in reply and lowered her eyes as they passed him. Gray reminded Leah of a boy she knew growing up and remembered fondly. They were good friends, and if Gray was anything like him, she knew he would be a good match for Marian.

"Very nice, Mare," Leah said, looking sly. "So, do you ever talk to him? Does he know you exist?"

"I think so. We have Astronomy together. I'm always trying not to stare at him when we're out on the tower in the moonlight." Marian sighed.

"Hmmm…do you ever have to partner up for anything in class?"

"Oh, no! Leah, I couldn't."

"Sure you could. Let me think on it and I'll work out a strategy."

Marian looked terrified, but mildly hopeful.

* * *

The week passed quickly with Leah spending much of her time daydreaming about all the fantastic places in the castle that she and Severus could be sneaking away to when he came around, and it before she knew it, it was Saturday morning. 

"Ready?" she asked Kingsley when he met her just outside the front door on a sunny, fall day.

"You know it," he said, flashing an energetic smile.

As they ran in silence, Leah thought how nice it was to have an adult friend; even if she couldn't open all the way up to Kingsley, it was nice to know that he was there if she needed him. Although, she would have much rather been with Severus. What she would have given for just a kind look from him. But, back in reality, she was busy being grateful for Kingsley.

"So, I didn't ask you last week. Are you coming to the Ball in costume?" she inquired.

"I wondered when you would ask, but I'm afraid I can't tell you my secret either. It's a surprise," he said with a smirk.

"That's fine. I like surprises, too. Will all the professors be coming in costume?"

Kingsley nodded. "Your aunt requested us to. She put up a notice on the board in the staff room."

Leah immediately wondered what Severus would be, and she had to hold in her laugh as she tried to imagine what an "asshole" costume would look like.

"Kingsley, I want to ask you something, but I need you to promise that it will stay just between us, OK?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Do you know Gray Rushton?"

"Yes," he said slowly, eyeing her strangely.

Leah sighed, irritated. "Not for _me_!"

"Oh! You had me worried there for a minute."

Leah rolled her eyes. "I had a dream that Marian and I were getting ready for the Ball and he was her date, at least I think he was. I was telling her that he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her, but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean that he was her date, does it?"

"Not really, but you never know. Maybe you should leave it alone and let things happen on their own."

"Where's the fun in that?" Leah asked. But she thought that maybe he was right in this case.

* * *

_'He's out with her again!'_ Severus thought as he watched Leah and Kingsley approach the castle; he was nearly vibrating with a mix of jealousy and rage. _'How could she parade herself about the grounds in clothing that tight?!'_

* * *

The following week, Leah was once again asked to stay after class by Professor Snape. When everyone filed out of the classroom and they stood facing each other, she asked impatiently, "What is it this time?" 

"Another note. Don't want to be late for _Kingsley's_ class, hmmm?"

"Man, he makes you _that_ jealous? Whatever, Severus," Leah replied trying to sound bored. "So, I hear that professors will be at the Ball in costume. You know, if you're looking for suggestions, I think you'd make an excellent Dr. Frankenfurter. Ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show?"

A particularly nasty smile spread across his face. "It may astonish you to know that I understand what you're trying to say, Miss Manning, although it doesn't really surprise me. You seem to be attracted to men with certain…preferences. Unfortunately for _you_, I do not fit into that category."

"You _fucking_ bastard! How _dare_ you say that to me?!" she said, lunging forward in an attempt to strike him.

Severus caught her by the wrists and jerked her to him. His grip was ruthless, and Leah struggled out of instinct despite the heady pleasure it gave her.

"Take care, Miss Manning. Best to keep your claws in or you might find yourself in trouble," he hissed.

"Perhaps _you_ should be careful…a girl could get used to this," she replied before biting her bottom lip. Hard. A drop of blood, more eloquent than words, navigated it's way to her chin. Leah's eyes bore into him, cutting through his strongest defenses with a Siren's call, and all at once, she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before, something that terrified her. Hate.

Her face flooded with realization and horror. "How could you be so beautiful and so cruel at the same time? Who _are_ you? Where is _my_ Severus?"

He saw her tears starting to form and released her wrists like hot coals, turning his back on her and crossing his arms. Severus could not look at her any longer; he couldn't bear to see such hurt in her face knowing that he was the cause. He heard her footsteps and sobs echoing off the stone as she sprinted out of the dungeons, trying to get away from him as fast as she could.

* * *

Leah ran straight to her room. There was no way she could face class or Kingsley in such a state. 

_'How could I love a man who could be so cruel? Why can't I hate him?!'_

Leah was frustrated and angry with herself for letting him affect her so much. Severus cut her to the bone, but she knew she couldn't show him any more weakness than she already had. She would not let him win.

_'I was an idiot to think this would work. He was right. I am only torturing us. But the dress? I have to try…it's the last chance. If it doesn't work, I'm going to have to give him up,'_ Leah thought, tears stinging her eyes. _'How will I ever be able to let go of him?'_

* * *

Severus was in a similar state, pondering his cruelty. He sat at his desk, attempting to focus on parchments that needed grading, unable to blink without seeing Leah's face filled with the pain caused by his lack of self control. The hate she saw was not for her, never for her. Severus' self loathing had always been useful to him; it told him what he could and could not have, what he did and did not deserve. But with Leah, it turned on him like a jealous lover, threatening and demanding he cut loose the competition. The problem was that he was in love with the competition, and the other woman smelled the stench of approaching defeat. Hell hath no fury. 

_'I cannot be alone with her again. Every time I am, I lose control of my emotions. I will not allow myself to hurt her any more.'_

He put his face in his hands and allowed himself to be comforted by the memory of their first kiss on the balcony at the Jasmine Courtyard Hotel. Severus could almost feel the warm summer breeze and his hands on her bare back if he concentrated hard enough.

* * *

The rest of the week passed with Marian nearly jumping out of her skin every time anyone said the word 'gray'. Leah did her best to bolster her roommate's confidence, but was not encouraged by Marian's lack of courage when it came to romance. 

_'Maybe my failure is rubbing off onto her,'_ she thought.

Consequently, Leah was shocked when Marian burst through the door on a rainy Sunday afternoon and began to dance around their room.

"How did he ask you?" Leah inquired, putting down the book she was studying.

"Leah, it was wonderful! I was leaving the library when I heard him call after me in the corridor. He was studying with Sam Jenkins at a table with his back to me the whole time I was in there, so I don't know how he saw when I left, but there he was, in the corridor, calling my name." Marian sighed dreamily. "He and I were alone and he asked me if I had a date for the Ball yet. Of course I said no. And then he said it."

"Said what? Don't leave me hanging!"

"Gray Rushton looked into my eyes and said, 'Marian, would you come to the Halloween Ball with me?' I couldn't speak, so I nodded." More sighing ensued.

"Did y'all talk about what you're going to go as?" Leah asked.

"No, Gray said we could talk about it in Astronomy this week. Can you believe it, Leah?"

"Yes. I absolutely can."

_'Thank God that's done!' _Leah thought as Marian looked out the window in a romantic trance. She was thrilled for her friend, but wished she could have been having the same thoughts about Severus. She missed her dark horse.

* * *

Hurrying to the front doors of the castle to meet Kingsley for their last run before the Ball, Leah passed Penelope Wilder, who shot her a nasty look. Leah returned fire with her sweetest barbed wire smile. 

"Sorry I'm late."

"No problem, Leah. I wouldn't have left you, not on our last run before the Ball."

"You know, we could still run on Saturdays _after_ the Ball," Leah offered.

"I wasn't sure if you'd still want to with no dress to fit into."

"Kingsley, you're just about my only grown up friend here. I would miss you too much to quit. Come on, let's hit it."

Running along silently, Kingsley was happy as usual to be with Leah, but her words sent him to the moon. _'I would miss you too much to quit,'_ he repeated in his mind.

* * *

From a small window low on the castle wall, Severus watched in agony as his beloved went for her weekly run with Kingsley. He didn't fault Kingsley for what he obviously felt for Leah, as he had also fallen so easily under her spell. 

Severus knew all too well the lure of her unrestrained kindness and fierce passion, her white hot anger and her hopeful forgiveness; to be with Leah was to be comforted and challenged at the same time. She was everything he always dreamed her to be and was ashamed that he drove her away with his coldness and cruelty. The mask that protected him for so long had now become obsolete; it would no longer shelter him in its dark embrace.

Severus wished with every ounce of grace he had left for another chance with her, for her to be _his_ Leah again.

_**Soundtrack Entry #20 – Rocket Queen – Guns N' Roses  
**_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **I'm back! I'll post three chapters this week, and then it's back to two per week. This chapter is one of my favorites...hope you enjoy it:) MK _


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Halloween was on a Tuesday, and when Leah entered her last Potions class before the Ball, she wondered how she was going to get all the way through again without making eye contact with Professor Snape. She couldn't bear seeing that icy blackness in his eyes again that she saw on the day of their last argument.

Somehow she had made it through nearly two weeks, avoiding all eye contact with him; Leah missed the sight of her dark horse, but she would not allow herself to take the chance. She was too afraid of what she might see and preferred her memories.

Kingsley noticed the change in her and asked after her condition on several occasions, but she did her best to convince him that she was fine. He, of course, had not believed her. Now, Charlie was sensing it as well.

"Did something happen, Leah?" Charlie asked, his words cautious.

"What do you mean?"

"You seem like you're scared of Professor Snape these days. Did he say something mean to you?" he asked protectively.

Leah thought on his questions for a moment before she answered. Scared? _Was_ she scared of him? Yes, but there was no way she could show that to Charlie. She wanted to set an example.

"No, Charlie, he didn't. I think I just forgot who I was for a bit. Thank you for reminding me," she said, feeling stronger than she had in weeks.

Forcing herself to look up, she met a surprised Professor Snape's eyes, and something strange happened. He flinched under her gaze. Was _he_ frightened of _her_? Could she be wrong about him?

Hope flooded back into her veins.

* * *

It was now Tuesday afternoon, Halloween, and all through the castle, people were getting ready for the Ball. The Great Hall was being transformed, everyone was discussing what costumes they would be wearing and a very nervous Professor Snape was having a crisis. 

He was, quite simply, in the middle of a panic attack. His costume came several days earlier, but he never bothered to try it on. Standing before the mirror in his standard black, flowing cloak about his shoulders, he reached for the mask. It was the plain white half-mask of the Phantom of the Opera, and he knew that it would catch Leah where she lived.

However, now that he tried to put it to his face, Severus found that it caught _him_ where he lived; he had not worn a mask since his Death Eater days, and the feel of it on his face and his reflection in the mirror horrified him beyond belief. He shook with the crippling thought of what he had done and who he had been.

A gruesome procession of memories danced across his mind's eye – a damning swell of pride as the Dark Lord bestowed his Dark mark; Lucius Malfoy, malicious and orgasmic, torturing a petrified, young woman; the hot, metallic taste of anguish he felt learning the truth about his parents; and worst of all, the iron shackles of the killing curse flowing from his wand.

He ran to his bathroom and retched into the sink.

* * *

Leah's evening was playing out just like it had in her dream; she was donning her green dress and Marian was running around like she had ants in her pants. 

"Alright, Mare, calm down. We'll find your earring," Leah said, trying to reassure her friend.

Marian did in fact look like an angel when she was finished dressing, because _that_ was her costume. Leah was pleased that her dream had come true, and she congratulated herself on her accuracy.

"So, what are you supposed to be again?" Marian asked for the hundred and eleventh time.

"I already told you. I'm poison ivy."

Leah knew what her true costume was, but she also knew that she would only be giving one person an accurate answer tonight. She decided that she would just tell everyone that she was poison ivy or a leprechaun or something else green. Hell, people could think she was Kermit the Frog! She really didn't care at this point; surely everyone thought she was strange enough already – the headmistress' niece, a Yank, three times as old as the other first years. It was nothing new to her.

"Well, you look gorgeous. Maybe you _will _be able to get Snape to dance."

Leah smiled hopefully as she closed the door behind them to head down to the crowded common room. Everyone was there comparing costumes and socializing. There were monsters, angels, demons, pirates, mummies, superheroes, animals, but curiously, Leah thought, no generic witches or wizards.

_'Duh! Of course not!'_ she thought as she mentally smacked herself. _'Except me.'_ She enjoyed the irony of the situation and decided to add 'Witch' to her list of costumes for the evening.

Marian was set to meet Gray outside the Great Hall, as were all the other students whose dates were in other houses. Leah held her breath when they approached the stairs down to the Great Hall. Would Severus be there to see her? What would his reaction be if he was there?

She heard a throat being cleared beside her and looked over to see a very dashing Robin Hood that she recognized as Charlie Montgomery. He was extending his arm gallantly, trying to look as grown up as possible while blushing slightly.

"May I escort you down to the Ball?"

"Thank you, kind sir," Leah answered, batting her eyelashes and feeling like Blanche DuBois. She was proud to take Charlie's arm and descend the staircase. They received several funny looks, but she didn't care in the least; Charlie was her friend, and she knew any girl would be lucky to have him by her side.

"Won't your date be jealous, Charlie?"

"No. I'm meeting her inside, she won't know. Besides, we're friends…and I think you have someone else waiting for you," he said, inclining his head toward the foyer below them.

Leah looked down to see something that stopped her heart.

Kingsley's eyes were fixed upon her as she descended the staircase. He wore a white tie and tails, a long, flowing cloak and a white half-mask – the Phantom of the Opera. Leah blinked slowly in awe several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things as Charlie handed her off to Professor Shacklebolt.

"See you later, Leah," Charlie said, trying to stifle the laugh he felt coming on. He could see from her face that she wasn't listening.

"Good evening, Miss Manning," Kingsley said, with a sly smile. "I thought you said you were coming in costume."

Leah heard him speak, but was not processing anything at the moment. She knew she had to keep it together as the foyer was full of students, and she could not make a spectacle of herself. He couldn't have known how his costume would affect her; they had never discussed movies or the Phantom.

It must have been a lucky choice – lucky for her, because he was stunning. Leah ran with Kingsley enough to know he was solid muscle beneath his clothing, and she could not tear her eyes away from him. He was striking, imposing, seductive.

Leah somehow gathered her thoughts enough to say, "Nice costume."

"You like it? I picked it because it didn't require too much, just the mask and cloak really. I already had the tux."

"Um, yeah. Leah likes…"

"You look wonderful, too, but I thought you were coming in costume?" he repeated.

"Oh, I'm a witch," she said distractedly, still admiring him.

Kingsley leaned in close to her ear as he offered his arm to escort her into the Ball. "Whatever you are, it works."

_'Dear God, I hope Severus isn't wearing the same costume!'_ she thought. _'I don't think I could take it.'_


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Leah entered the Great Hall and gasped at the sight that greeted her.

"I know. It's brilliant," Kingsley said.

The long tables that usually filled the Hall were gone now. Everything was richly decorated in Halloween décor; pumpkins, bats, cauldrons, spiders and cobwebs, all shimmering and glittering in black, purple and orange like the most elegant haunted house she could have imagined.

Hundreds of candles and carved pumpkins floated in mid-air, giving off a lavish, but eerie glow. There was a large buffet table of food and an enormous cauldron bubbling softly with what Leah imagined to be punch of some kind; bats and owls flitted about as everyone talked and danced, admiring each other's costumes. It took her several visual sweeps of the room to find the source of the music, but after a moment she spotted a DJ surrounded by a surprisingly small amount of equipment next to the dance floor.

Leah wondered where the music was coming from as she had learned quickly that electricity didn't work in the castle or on the grounds. (Marian told her when she saw Leah struggling one afternoon with trying to get her iPod to work.) Shrugging her shoulders, Leah dismissed her question and assumed that it had been magicked. How it was working didn't really worry her – anything was possible tonight.

Kingsley excused himself, assuring her he would only be a moment, and out of the corner of her eye, Leah noticed Marian coming over with Gray.

"You must be Leah. I'm Gray Rushton. Nice to officially meet you," he said with a genuine smile and a firm handshake.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Gray." Professor Shacklebolt approached and handed her a glass of blood red, bubbling punch.

Marian gave Leah a significant look before she and Gray moved on. Leah was still too taken aback by Kingsley's costume to glare at her roommate as she and her date walked away toward the dance floor.

"Thanks, I think. This is punch, right?" Leah asked, giving the glass a sideways glance.

Kingsley nodded and they both took a small sip and a long look at one another. Leah knew he was wondering if it would be appropriate for them to dance, and she was terrified, nervously downing her punch in several gulps. A fast song was playing.

What Leah didn't know was that she had no reason to worry. She was completely unaware that Kingsley had spiked both their drinks with a small bottle of Felix Felicis. Earlier that evening, he debated with himself about whether to use it or not, but when he saw Leah come down the stairs in her green dress, he knew he couldn't resist the opportunity.

Kingsley, however, wasn't drinking. He was too distracted by Leah. He had never seen her look more lovely; her face was alight with an intoxicating glow, a combination of wonder, hope and the passion he always sensed in her. He desperately wanted to dance with her and feel the warm, soft skin of her back in his eager hand.

The fast song that was playing ended, and _Careless Whisper_ by Wham came on, much to Leah's relief.

"May I have this dance?" Kingsley extended his hand and unconsciously set his nearly full drink on the empty table behind her.

"Of course. We may be the only two people in this room who remember when this song came out," Leah said playfully, downing her punch in one gulp and depositing her empty glass next to his plentiful one.

Leah experienced a sudden surge of confidence. She felt like Ulysses again, just like she had on the first day of Divination after hearing Professor Trelawney's speech. She was ready to conquer the world _and_ Professor Snape!

She scanned the room for him unsuccessfully as Kingsley led her to the dance floor. _'Oh, well, at least I get to dance with my Phantom for now. Severus will be along any time.'_

Just as Kingsley twirled her into his arms to dance, her dark horse appeared, clad in all black with a flowing cloak similar to Kingsley's. His hair was tied back in a black ribbon as he had so often worn it in Charleston, but upon closer inspection, Leah noticed that something else was different. Something about his mouth…

Severus nodded hello to someone across the room, and the corners of his mouth turned up, his lips parting just enough for Leah to get her first glimpse of his fangs. She never wanted to be a victim so badly in her life. Leah had a flash in her mind's eye of her head tilting slowly to one side and Severus' hand pulling her hair aside as he devoured her.

She nearly forgot that she was dancing with Kingsley and instantly felt a pang of guilt as the song ended.

He looked down at her adoringly. "Thank you for the dance, Leah. Could you excuse me for a moment? I think your aunt needs me."

"Certainly," she said as Minerva gave her an intense look over Kingsley's shoulder, tilting her head toward the doorway where Severus was standing. The Headmistress was stylishly dressed as a geisha. Her hair was now black, pinned up in the traditional geisha style, and she was wearing a striking coral kimono with a black obi and traditional make-up.

Leah nodded and smiled at Minerva when Kingsley's back was to her. She slinked seductively toward Severus, and when he saw her, he returned her gaze. Seeing the look in her eyes and knowing how desperately he wanted her, Severus knew that she had the upper hand. He was already weak from his panic attack with the mask, and now she was here wearing the ultimate weapon – her green dress.

"Trick or treat?" she asked, her voice drawling and suggestive.

"Good evening, Miss Manning. May I ask exactly what you are supposed to be?"

"I would think it was perfectly obvious what I am, Severus," she said, leaning in closer toward him. "Destiny."

Severus was shocked by her words, but he didn't show it; he stood, strong and still, looking her up and down, burning her with the heat of his eyes. He could barely keep from taking her in his arms and carrying her down to his bed.

At that moment, Kingsley joined them. "Evening, Severus. Nice costume, but not much of a stretch, eh? I see you've found our lovely Miss Manning."

Severus did not reply, but gave Kingsley a contemptuous look. He decided to say nothing of Kingsley's costume as it enraged him that someone else was able to pull it off. Severus wanted more than ever to be the one to give Leah her fantasy.

"Leah, perhaps you could entertain yourself with Professor Snape for a bit? There is something I must attend to presently. Will you save me a dance?"

"Of course, Professor. Thank you," she said, hoping that Severus was as jealous as usual.

As Kingsley turned to walk away, his hand gently brushed against the small of Leah's back. Severus saw her try to minimize the breath that she took in at another man's touch in his presence.

"Don't you think it's a _bit_ inappropriate to have a Professor as your date, Leah?"

Leah's expression was peaceful and patient as she replied. "He's not my date, Severus, and you know very well whose hands I want on me."

"If that could only be so," he said under his breath.

"What? I didn't catch that."

"Nothing," he replied lamely.

"Well, Margie would love your costume. She referred to you as Count Dracula at the gala, and she did it again the day you left, _when she told me that you came to see our balcony one last time_," Leah said significantly just before she heard footsteps and a familiar voice behind her.

"Hello, Professor Snape." Leah turned to see Penelope Wilder in all black wearing a rather stunning peacock mask.

"Good evening, Miss Wilder," he replied as though responding to a request for the correct time.

"You look lovely, Penelope," Leah added sincerely before the jealous peacock strutted away in a huff.

"I must say, Leah, you have such a way with people."

She leaned in close enough to smell the candle smoke on his clothing and the sage on his skin. "Just you," Leah whispered.

Walking away, she could have sworn she heard the distinct ding of a bell, the kind that rings in between rounds at a boxing match. _'Leah, One; Severus, Zero.'_


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Kingsley stood in the doorway of the Great Hall when he realized what happened earlier with his glass of spiked punch, and he mentally cursed as he thought about the waste of a good dose of Felix Felicis.

_'At least _she'll_ have a good night…I'll just have to _make_ it a good night. In that regard, I think it's time for another dance.'_

He found Leah talking in an animated fashion with her Aunt Minerva at one of the tables off to the side of the room by a large, bubbling cauldron. Shimmering fumes rose and swirled in the air, framing her in an ethereal glow.

Leah noticed Kingsley and crossed the room to meet him halfway. "The Phantom has returned."

Not missing a beat or a chance to be in character, he replied, "The Phantom always comes for his Angel of Music, does he not?"

Leah wanted to melt. Another slow song was beginning and she took his offered arm without another word. "I don't know this song, do you?" she asked as they danced.

He nodded. "It's not a Muggle group. We have our own bands, you know."

"Oh, I guess you would, hadn't really thought about it. Since I'm American and a former Muggle, the world _did_ revolve around _me_."

"I didn't mean that like it sounded, Leah. Obviously, we listen to other kinds of music, too."

"So the DJ might have some current American bands in his catalog?"

"Possibly. I guess it would depend on what you're looking for."

It was almost 11:00 when Leah got the chance to stop by and speak to the DJ, and she was overjoyed when he found the album she was looking for and promised to play her request around 11:30.

Leah sat back at a shadowed, empty table and took a quiet moment to take in her surroundings. She was a witch, in a castle that was a school of magic; she had found her dark horse and the faith they would eventually be together. And it was Halloween, one of her favorite nights of the year. Leah had danced twice with the Phantom at a gorgeous, glittering Halloween Ball. She felt luckier than ever. Leah didn't question why; she simply chose to stretch out her arms and embrace it.

Just before 11:30, Leah caught the DJ's eye and nodded to him. Her plan was set into motion, and she stood to cross the room and claim her dark horse.

Severus stood with Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Trelawney talking quietly, and Leah imagined that he was counting the minutes until he could escape. The crowd had thinned out somewhat from earlier, and Leah was pleased. She knew her task would be much easier with less of an audience.

She glanced back at the DJ and he nodded to her as the current song was ending.

"Good evening, my dear," said Professor Trelawney, acknowledging her presence in willowy voice.

Severus' back was to her and he turned to see his Leah smiling sweetly at him as he heard the first notes of _Taking Over Me_ by Evanescence begin to play.

"Professor Snape, I wonder if you would indulge me with a dance? This song is one of my favorites," she said, her eyes sparkling.

Severus found himself completely helpless and unable to resist her offer. He said nothing, but nodded gently in reply and extended his arm, moving like he was on strings. Escorting her to the dance floor, Severus didn't notice the other couples awestruck at what they saw; he didn't notice Minerva or Sibyll or Kingsley or any of the other professors' or students' reactions.

Severus saw only his Leah, just as she was on the night of the gala at the Jasmine Courtyard Hotel. She walked tall, a vision of grace, beauty and strength. Despite all of his attempts to thwart her, she remained undeterred in her task, regarding him with courage and acceptance.

Leah eyes fluttered closed momentarily when he took her in his arms to begin their dance, and she savored each sugared moment of their contact.

"You are radiant this evening," he said with a measure of despair. It sounded like an apology.

"Thank you." Leah paused, holding her breath and resisting the urge to touch his face while deciding what to say. "This is nice, Severus."

He nodded, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "It was never my intention to treat you as I have."

He attempted to speak again, but Leah gently shushed him. "Let's just listen to the song and dance, alright?"

Severus saw that her eyes were full of devotion and did as he was asked; again, he found himself unable to refuse her request. He was entranced by her, and for the first time since they made love, he felt the tempest inside him beginning to quiet. Severus forgot his regrets and remembered why he wanted to wake up next to her each morning.

When the song was over, he led Leah to the Headmistress and Professor Trelawney, who had watched their dance with great interest.

"My goodness, you two dance beautifully together," Minerva said, surprise coloring her normally reserved tone.

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva, but a dancer is only as good as her partner." Leah regarded Severus and gave him his due.

Kingsley joined them. "Miss Manning, good show! How did you ever get Professor Snape to dance? I didn't think he had it in him."

But when she turned to address Severus, she saw him making a hasty exit through a side door. "Professor Shacklebolt, I could just tell there was a dancer inside him waiting to get out. To tell the truth, I don't think he would have refused me in front of Aunt Minerva. So, to avoid being rude to the Headmistress' niece, he was forced to suffer through the dance," she said, trying to sound jovial. "I'm sure I'm the only one who could have managed it."

"Surely it wasn't _too_ great a hardship for him. He was lucky to have such a lovely partner," Kingsley oozed.

"I thank you," she said, curtseying. "Would y'all excuse me for a minute? Just need to powder my nose."

When Leah passed the dance floor, Marian caught her attention and waved her over.

"_How_ did you do it? I guess this means I owe you five galleons," Marian said quietly.

"Yup." Leah looked anxiously toward the door. "Gotta run to the little witches room. Hey, don't wait up for me. I told Aunt Minerva that I would help with breaking everything down and cleaning up, so I might be really late getting to bed," she lied, hoping she would have a reason to be late.

"Then you'll tell me everything in the morning?"

Leah nodded. "I bet you'll have quite a few things to tell me, too, missy," she replied, giving her roommate a quick wink.

* * *

Leah had a hunch where Severus was, and she made her way as quickly as possible to the Astronomy Tower.

She was slightly out of breath after making it all the way up the spiral staircase in her heels, but Leah received her reward when she reached the top. The door was ajar, and she found Severus there, alone.

After their dance, he had to escape, so he returned to the "scene of the crime". Since his return to Hogwarts, Severus often found himself there at night, thinking over the ruin his life had become without Leah. He heard the click of her heels and was not surprised that she had found him, as everything seemed to be going her way that night.

Severus' back was to her as he looked out over the grounds, and she sensed that his thoughts were weighing heavily on him. Leah approached slowly, stopping next to him and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Severus, are you alright?" Her words hung in the air for several moments before he responded. Leah saw that his stone façade was beginning to crumble, and she gave him the time he needed to consider his answer, releasing a silent prayer into the silvery moonlight while she waited.

"No," he said quietly.

"I'm here for you, only for you. Let me in."

"Leah, you can't mean that. You could look past all that I have told you of my past? All that you have learned of me here? All the cruelty I have shown you?" He let out a short sigh. "And what Kingsley _clearly_ feels for you?"

The bitterness she was used to seeing in his eyes was now gone, replaced by something she recognized – hope. Leah smiled softly as she saw _her Severus_ return.

"I am not interested in anything other than friendship with Kingsley, and _I told you before_ that I loved you no matter what you had done. Like it or not, your past has made you the man you are today. You are _my Severus_ now, and I love you."

He took a slow, deep breath and brought Leah's cold hands to his face. The cool night air stilled. Not a sound issued forth from the grounds and surrounding forest. Time itself hesitated as Severus let go and became the man he was meant to be. Leah stood like a statue, watching the transformation, and she knew that all was right in the universe.

"Will you come with me somewhere?" Severus asked, breaking the spell.

"Anywhere," she said, before cocking an eyebrow. "Where? Will we get in trouble if we're seen?"

"Probably."

"Mmmm…How quickly can we get there?"

Severus put his hand on her bare back to guide her toward the door, sending a delicious shiver up her spine. "Patience is a virtue."

"Yes, I know, but not one I possess, especially not while you have those fangs."

* * *

It was now half past midnight, and Severus was pleased to find the halls mostly deserted. They had to hide behind a large statue in one of the corridors to avoid being seen by several Ravenclaws on the way to parts unknown, and under normal circumstances, Leah would have been fighting off a case of the giggles. However, sheltered beneath Severus' cloak, giggling was the furthest thing from her mind.

When the coast was clear, he led her stealthily through the castle to a seventh floor corridor and a long, nondescript stretch of wall across from a large tapestry. Leah looked curiously at the trolls on it wearing tutus as she wondered what it was about this night had finally broken through to Severus. Was it the dress? Or maybe she finally just wore him down? Whatever the catalyst was, she was incredibly grateful.

"Leah, I need you to stand over there while I locate the door."

"Yes, Professor," she said in her best school girl voice.

Severus paced back and forth along the barren stretch of wall, whispering to himself and concentrating as he walked. After his third pass, a door appeared.

"Shall we?" he said, extending his hand to her.

Leah took his hand and watched as he opened the door to a large, dark room. With a flick of his wand, Severus started a blaze in the stone fireplace before closing the door behind them. She saw a large bed, covered in what looked like a black quilt, next to a small bedside table and a bookcase; there was a leather chair by the fire and a desk across the room.

"Where are we?"

"We are in my chambers," he replied, obviously pleased with himself.

"Wait. I don't understand. Your room isn't down in the dungeons near the Slytherin dormitory?"

Severus circled Leah as she spoke, and when she was finished, he pulled her into his arms to face him.

"Yes, it is, but we are in the Room of Requirement now. Not everyone knows of its existence. Anyone can use this room as long as they have a need, or rather, a requirement. When you know how to find the door, the room becomes whatever you need it to be, and as you can imagine, it has been many different things to many different people over the years."

"Very tricky."

"Precisely. I needed a place where we could be alone together, and I would have chosen my bed chamber, so that is what the room became for us."

Severus leaned in to kiss Leah, but stopped when she began to speak. "I've Seen this room before…in a dream."

"What do you mean?"

"I dreamed of you here, standing in front of the fire. You took something out of your desk and then had a tantrum. You threw something into the fire."

Leah loosed herself from his arms and ran to the fireplace to look into the flames. She welcomed their warmth on her face after the cold of the darkened corridors.

"You did! The pieces are there, down in the grate," she said before scurrying over to the desk and kneeling down to open the bottom drawer of the desk. Finding it locked, she looked up to see Severus holding a key.

"I believe you will need this."

Taking the key, she opened the drawer and rummaged through the contents looking for anything remotely familiar. Her eyes bulged as she pulled out the picture of her and James at South of the Border.

"How did you…"

Severus knelt on the floor next to her and took her hands. "It is a very long story, angel, and I will tell you everything, but we have very little time before we are missed."

Leah watched his dark eyes sparkle in the firelight, and she knew he was right.

_**Soundtrack Entry #21 – What About Now – Daughtry

* * *

Author's Note:**_ _Alright...I know you're impatient. More good stuff coming...Promise! Don't forget to show me some love - I accept flowers and candy, but I prefer reviews. ;) -MinnKota_


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Severus admired the tall specters the fire made of them on the ancient, stone walls of his room as Leah unhooked the silver clasp at the neck of his cloak. It fell to the ground without a sound, and she felt the heat from the fire swirl upward, warming her while Severus' hands made their way up her back.

"What sharp teeth you have, Professor," she whispered into his ear, hoping to hear the fairy tale reply.

Severus growled, revealing his fangs. "The better to eat you with, my dear,"

Leah shivered with delight as her dress joined his cloak on the floor. "Remind me to tell you about the Halloween I was Little Red Riding Ho some time."

"Indeed," he purred, settling her gently onto the bed.

"Severus, you _do not_ have a black, velvet coverlet…and scarlet sheets," she said incredulously, running her hands over the rich velveteen and pulling back the coverlet to explore his bed.

"Shhh," he commanded, putting his index finger to her lips. She saw that he meant it.

Leah cocked an eyebrow at Severus, and he descended onto her with a force beyond both of them. They were like a summer storm, sudden and fierce, and Leah could have sworn she heard a clap of thunder in the distance.

Severus knew that whatever embarrassment or gossip he would be subject to would be well worth it to be with his Leah. His feelings for her were overpowering and scary at times, but he felt strangely peaceful while they ravaged one another to the point of sublime exhaustion.

Leah still heard the thunder when she lay next to him trying to get her breathing back under control. She felt a chill as she came to her senses, the cool air coming into contact with the fine layer of perspiration covering her body.

Severus felt her tiny shiver and reached to reclaim his sheets and coverlet. Pulling the covers over them, he knew that he could not falter again. There was now too much at stake. At that moment, he never wanted to leave her side; he wanted to shelter her and protect her and provide for her. It was unfamiliar territory.

He pulled Leah close and found her face resplendent with adoration. There was, however, a question nestled in those adoring eyes, a question that pleaded for an answer. Severus brushed his hand across Leah's cheek, and she leaned into his touch as he spoke. "I have no intention of letting you go."

Eight words. She presented him the key to his cell and all he could offer in return was a handful of feeble words, but like all offerings of true sacrifice, they were more than enough.

Severus took the edge of his crimson bed sheet in hand and wiped away some of the tears streaming down Leah's cheeks. Brushing the stray locks of hair from her face, he kissed her forehead as a dainty sob escaped her.

It was clear to him that she was overcome with emotion and unable to speak. He pulled Leah into his arms and held her securely against him, his mouth resting on the top of her head in a continuous kiss.

Severus felt like a life jacket wrapped around her, and Leah hoped that she was the same to him. She wanted to soothe him, to save him from that other, lost person she met when she came to Hogwarts. All of the difficulties she endured over the past few months vanished when she was wrapped in his arms; there was only she and Severus now, only their flame.

When she was steady enough to speak, she looked up at him. "Ever?"

"Never. We are where we belong." His voice was insistent, but calm.

"I'm glad to see you finally caught up," she said, regaining some poise.

Severus rolled his eyes, but was unable to hide the involuntary curl at the corners of his mouth. "Since you are _so_ far ahead of me, exactly how do you suggest we rectify our current situation? I don't know how long I can keep up the teacher and student farce."

"I take it you don't know about my…abilities?"

"On the contrary, I am quite familiar with your _abilities_," he said devilishly, his smirk revealing his fangs.

"Believe it or not, I have _other_ abilities. I think I'm a Seer. According to Trelawney, she Saw that I would come and eventually replace her."

"And you believe her?" His words danced along the edge of a laugh.

"You too, huh? Don't believe in Divination? Did I or did I _not_ know about this room and your tantrum before I entered it?"

He regarded her with an unreadable expression. "So you would no longer be a student? You would be a peer?"

"Does that threaten you, darling?" Leah asked, trying to bait him.

"Not in the least. I wouldn't care if you became Mistress of Magic, as long as you _quit_ being a student. How is this to work if things stay the way they are?"

"I don't know. I'm pretty good at extra credit, especially _oral assignments_."

Leah expected one of several different reactions to her statement, but she was not prepared for what she saw. Severus Snape lay next to her, blushing scarlet.

"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you never imagined you and I in that scenario! I'm not the one who snuck my girlfriend off for a tryst on school grounds."

"Touche."

"So, my plan was to make it through until Christmas as best we can, and if all goes well during the fall term, I am to become Professor Trelawney's apprentice in the new year."

"Are you _sure_ weren't supposed to be in Slytherin?"

"Yup. You're in bed with a Gryffindor. Would you like me to wear my house scarf next time?"

"You may wear whatever you like to my bed, but I will ask that you not wear that dress again until we are free to do as we please." He paused and looked at Leah sideways. "Did you call me 'darling' a minute ago?"

"I did. Does it bother you?"

"Strangely enough, no. I am not used to being addressed by terms of endearment, but I think I can live with that one. It's not _too_ saccharine."

"So, Pooky would have been too much? How about Buttercup? Sugar Britches?" Leah asked, drawling her words to provoke him.

Severus cringed and shook off a chill, sneering in response and reaching for his wand to caution her. Incredibly amused, Leah held up her hands in a truce.

* * *

After sneaking back to her room through a silent castle, Leah tried to settle into bed and drift off. It was 4:12 and she knew she would have to get up in few hours time. Listening to the steady, peaceful breathing of her roommate, she realized that her cheeks ached from smiling. 

_'If this keeps up, there are going to be vicious rumors about Kingsley and I. Nobody would believe the truth, stranger than fiction,'_ she thought, shaking her head and wearing a painful grin.

Leah lay awake until the soft, first light of November crept through the window and onto the stone, hoping that the events she kept reliving in her mind were real. She hadn't gone to sleep, and it occurred to her that maybe it was all some incredibly vivid dream.

She made her way to the bathroom at an unsuspicious time to take a shower – not too early and not too late. Leah did not want to wash Severus' scent off of her, but she had no choice. Looking in the mirror and brushing the tangles out of her hair, she found definitive proof that last night's events were not a dream.

Leah pulled her hair back and noticed a small mark on her left shoulder, a love bite from her dark horse. The pain in her cheeks was getting stupid.

* * *

Severus woke on All Saints Day, just as he had every morning since leaving Leah's lake house – disappointed that she was not next to him. He wanted to feel her, warm and soft, and breathe in her comfort. 

Today, however, was different from all of those other disappointing mornings. Leah was gone, but her lavender scent remained on his skin. It whispered to him that today was a new day, and for the first time in a long time, he embraced the morning and its precious possibilities.

Severus was pleased to find that the state of grace he found himself in the previous night had not left him, and he hurried to ready himself for the day. He looked in the mirror, noticing that his charmed fangs were gone, the spell worn off.

Something else also caught his attention, something that didn't horrify him as much as he would have expected. His expression was positively pleasant.

_'This will never do,'_ he told himself, summoning a more appropriate visage.

* * *

Leah did her best to hide her "morning after" glow from Marian, and luckily, Marian was much too busy glowing herself to notice. The evening had also been a smashing success for her and Gray. 

"So, he kissed you, right?" Leah pried.

"Yes," Marian confessed, looking away.

Leah hugged her radiant roommate. "Come on. Let's float down to breakfast, shall we?"

"Yes, let's." Marian suddenly realized that she had not yet heard about Leah's evening. "Hey! You've got to tell me about Snape! And you looked pretty cozy with Professor Shacklebolt, too."

"That's right. Somebody owes me five galleons." As Leah gave Marian the same explanation she gave Kingsley about Snape not being able to refuse her in front of her aunt, Marian eyed her skeptically.

"If you say so, but I bet Shacklebolt was jealous."

"No way. You're reading way too much into this, Mare! I only danced with him twice and Snape once, and only to win the bet, I might add. It's not like we were making out or anything."

As they entered the Great Hall for breakfast, Leah ceremoniously tossed her striped, Gryffindor scarf over her shoulder and glanced at the staff table. She caught Severus' eye and noticed him give her the slightest of nods. Ignoring her urge to sit on his lap and have him feed her breakfast with his fingers, Leah settled next to Marian and greeted her Potions partner across the table.

"Hey, Charlie. Have fun last night?"

"I had a better time than you did, I bet! I hear you had to dance with Snape! _Everyone's_ talking about it."

"It wasn't really that big a deal," Leah said, rolling her eyes and trying to control her blush. "Marian bet me I couldn't get him to dance and I _never_ lose a bet. It's as simple as that."

"What did you talk about with him? I bet he's a terrible dancer," Charlie said, looking at her like she had just slain a dragon.

"We didn't really talk, and actually, he's a very good dancer."

Charlie was clearly gobsmacked, and decided not to pursue the topic any further, afraid of what she might say next.

**_Soundtrack Entry #22 – The Secret Marriage – Sting _  
**

* * *

_**Author's Note: ** If you are re-reading this chapter, I thank you...and I offer my most sincere apologies for the previous version. I lost control for a moment and let Severus stray too far from his path. He's feeling much more like himself now and is ready to continue the story. _

_ If you are reading this for the first time, feel free to ignore this note altogether and count yourself lucky that you did not have to read the previously posted dreck. :) -MK_**  
**


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

Time seemed to creep by now that Severus was within Leah's reach. She needed distractions and was actually looking forward to the first Quidditch match of the year, even though she generally loathed sports. The match was between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and Leah was hoping for a win for her house so she could do a bit of trash talking with the Potions Master.

Leah thought herself rather crafty when she slipped him a note in the homework she handed in during her Thursday Potions class.

* * *

Severus was sitting at his desk after Leah's class, grading parchments and trying his best to concentrate on anything other than the previous evening. Rifling through the stack, he pulled out his favorite student's assignment and found something attached.

**Severus,**

**I am sure that you have noticed my newest fashion accessory, my Gryffindor scarf. As you know, it can be dreadfully drafty in the castle, and as I am used to much warmer weather, I find that I need it with me all the time – at least that is what I will tell anyone who may ask why I'm wearing it so often. But that is not the real reason. Please know that anytime you see me with my scarf, I am thinking of you and wishing we were together.**

**I am looking forward to my first Quidditch match on Saturday, another new experience. As we both have a vested interest in the match, what would you say to a little wager to keep things interesting? **

**Also, there is something I have been meaning to ask you. My total lack of skill in your class cannot have escaped your attention. Perhaps I could benefit from some extra tutoring? **

**Leah**

Severus breathed in the lavender on the note before reaching for his quill and ink to pen an reply.

* * *

Sprawled out on her bed after Defense Against the Dark Arts trying to finish some homework, Leah heard a scratching at her window. After a very brief investigation, she found Sadie flapping about with a letter for her. The handwriting was familiar to her as was the crimson ink it was written in. 

**Leah,**

**I am glad to see that you have been proudly wearing your house colors. However, I hope you will not be too disappointed when you lose on Saturday to Slytherin. **

**I gladly accept your wager and hereby propose the price you will pay when the inevitable happens. I hear that you 'never' lose a bet, so I look forward to seeing the surprise on your face when you are forced to accept defeat. Upon Gryffindor's loss of the season's first Quidditch match, I will arrange a meeting for us. You will attend this meeting wearing your house scarf, nothing more. **

**In the unlikely event that Slytherin should lose, you have only to name what you would like me to wear at our meeting and I will gladly comply. If these terms are acceptable to you, please indicate so at dinner this evening by wearing your hair loose, as it was when you left me early this morning. **

**With regard to the extra tutoring, the idea has merit, and I have already given it some thought. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to give you some personal instruction.**

**I count the hours until I am able to see your face again.**

**Severus**

His handwriting consisted of a series of fierce scratches, feral and difficult to read. Frenetic and intense, his words looked like the thoughts of man in the throes of creation, like an artist or a composer. Leah, however, had no trouble deciphering his words; eight weeks of practice had honed her skills. She pressed the letter to her chest and closed her eyes before carefully tucking it away.

* * *

Severus nearly smiled when he saw Leah in the Great Hall later that evening. Her hair, loose and wild, set a fire within him. 

"Alright there, Severus?" Kingsley asked, sitting next to him.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you look different…approachable…friendly, even. It's a nice change. Did Miss Manning do something to you last night?"

Several different responses crossed Severus' mind, none of them appropriate. "Nothing that hasn't been done before. I trust you are prepared for the match."

"Definitely. I think Miss Manning is, too. She had on her house scarf in class today."

Severus' only reply was a satisfied smirk as he began to eat his dinner.

* * *

The next morning Sadie appeared with all the other owls making deliveries. Leah excitedly read a letter from the Lupins informing her that Remus would be coming to Hogwarts on business for the Ministry of Magic the following week. She could hardly wait to see his friendly face and tell him about everything. _'Well, not everything,'_ she thought. 

Leah was so consumed with the Ball and the events that followed, she nearly forgot about her extra Divination lessons set to begin that afternoon. Since first year Gryffindors had Friday afternoons free, she had agreed to begin spending them with Professor Trelawney. She was progressing as expected and needed to pass an O.W.L. examination in the Spring, and time was of the essence.

After lunch, Leah climbed the ladder to a quiet Divination classroom. She was really beginning to feel at home there. It reminded her of a college dorm room, full of second hand, comfy things, inhabited by an air of freedom and experimentation. Bohemian.

"Hello, my dear. Today, we will be working with the crystal ball. Join me." Professor Trelawney indicated the seat opposite her at one of the small round tables.

Leah watched faint colors swirl in the mist inside the crystal; she did her best to concentrate, but found it hard to turn her thoughts from Severus.

"I imagine you found what you were looking for at the Ball, Leah," she inquired, eyebrow arched.

Leah did her best to look confused, but Professor Trelawney said sympathetically, "Not to worry, you haven't given away any secrets. At least, none that I did not already know. I am well aware that Divination is not your sole purpose here, but you must clear your mind or the Inner Eye will not be able to See."

"Yes, Professor," Leah said, feeling a comfortable allegiance with her.

"Perhaps some tea will help. I shall return in a moment."

Leah nodded and looked once again into the crystal ball in front of her. Colors swirled as before, but this time she Saw something else. A tall, strapping man walked with purpose, carrying someone through a darkened corridor; the person being carried seemed to be unconscious, hanging limp in his arms. Leah Saw the door to the Hospital Wing ahead of him as he hurried. When he passed a lamp in the corridor, she Saw that that man's skin was dark. Not just dark, but black. The man's bald head and the glint of his earring were the final pieces of information Leah needed to confirm his identity.

"You've Seen something?" Professor Trelawney asked hopefully as she returned with their tea.

"Yes! Someone's going to get hurt…or sick. I Saw Professor Shacklebolt carrying them to the Hospital Wing. It was dark and the corridor was deserted, so it must have been late at night."

"Are you certain you were Seeing the future and not the past?"

"Uh, no," Leah said, dejected. "How can you tell?"

"That is one of the things that makes Divination difficult, Leah. Perhaps you should speak with Professor Shacklebolt about it."

* * *

Saturday morning came accompanied by bright sunshine and a cold wind. Leah had some reservations about meeting Kingsley for their weekly run as she knew that Severus would not like it, but she didn't really have a choice. Appearances were important. 

Grabbing her scarf as she made her way out the door, she called back to Marian, "I'll be back and ready in time for the match. Don't leave without me, OK?"

"Wouldn't _dream_ of it," Marian said. "Enjoy your run with _Professor Shacklebolt_."

Leah rolled her eyes and shook her head at Marian's enthusiasm, however inaccurate it may have been.

"Morning, Leah. All set?" Kingsley asked, squinting in the sunlight.

"You know it! I'm not sure it could be any more gorgeous out here. I _love_ Fall! We don't get much of it back home. We go straight from Summer to Christmas."

"Seems like you're ready for the match. Sporting your scarf again, I see."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see us _cream_ Slytherin," Leah said confidently, thinking of her bet.

They ran in the crisp, autumn air with fallen leaves from naked trees crunching beneath their feet. Students were out and about on the grounds, and the school was buzzing with excitement about the match.

"I am still astounded that you were able to get Professor Snape to dance."

"Everyone was, but like I told Charlie, I _never_ lose a bet." Kingsley regarded her curiously. "I bet Marian that I could get him to dance and I did. Charlie almost fell out of his seat when I told him that Professor Snape was a good dancer."

"Well, if I was sitting, I might do the same. You never cease to amaze me."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's my total lack of fear," she said while lovingly adjusting her house scarf. "Honestly, I don't know why everyone's so scared of him or why it was such a big deal. I danced with you, too, didn't I?"

"Well, yes, but I've never…"

_'Never killed anyone?'_ Leah thought as she heard Kingsley's voice trail off.

"Nothing. Never mind. Let's just run, alright?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

At that moment, Leah could feel part of the burden that Severus carried. She knew what he faced because of what he had done. It didn't matter why or how it happened, it only mattered that he had done it.

She was touched, that in some measure, Kingsley wanted to shelter her from Severus and his past actions, but she also wanted to knock out a few of his teeth. Leah wanted to defend Severus, to find a way to make people understand the truth of the situation, but she knew a losing battle when she saw one. She promised herself, then and there, that she would do all she could to provide a shelter for her beloved from his burden.

* * *

Leah stood with the other Gryffindors cheering her team on at the Quidditch match. Severus had a difficult time keeping his mind on the game; he could only watch her. Leah looked invigorated by the pageantry of it all. She was jumping up and down cheering, shouting jeers and taunts at the Slytherins, and generally looking gorgeous to him. 

Severus tried his best, but kept seeing her across the pitch wearing only her scarf and crooking her index finger at him to join her. When he caught himself wondering what it would be like to have her underneath the stands during a match, he reminded himself to focus.

_'We must not lose! There's no telling what she'd have me wear if Gryffindor wins.'_

The score was 120 to 140 with Slytherin in the lead. The Snitch was spotted by the Seekers, and the crowd's excitement reached fever pitch. Leah and Charlie screamed and gestured wildly along with all the other Gryffindors.

Suddenly, Leah realized something that she hadn't before. She was watching the match and cheering, but also keeping an eye on Severus and daydreaming. She completely overlooked Slytherin's Seeker – Penelope Wilder. As much as she wanted to win the bet, she found herself hoping for Penelope. Leah pushed these thoughts aside as she continued cheering for her house.

"Who's our Seeker?" she shouted at Charlie over the frenzy. Leah recognized him, but had no idea what his name was.

"Sam Jenkins, seventh year," he yelled back.

Just as Charlie released the words, Penelope caught the Snitch in a daring show of acrobatic flying. Leah glanced over at Severus to take her medicine and see his confident smirk; she was surprised to see relief on his face mixed with the triumph of Slytherin's win. She gave him a quick wink and tossed her scarf over her shoulder in mock defiance.

Leah ran into Minerva on her trek back to the castle with the rest of the disappointed Gryffindors.

"Leah, I haven't had a chance to talk to you since the Ball. Why don't you come and have tea with me?"

"Sounds wonderful, Aunt Minerva. I'll just freshen up and come see you in a bit. What's the password?"

"Meow."

* * *

Minerva handed Leah a cup of tea when they settled by the crackling fire in her office. Albus smiled down at them from his portrait. 

"You looked lovely at the Ball, Leah. I was not surprised when Minerva told me that you were able to get Severus to dance with you."

"I don't understand. How did you see me?" Leah asked, confused.

"I take it you have never noticed my other portrait outside of the Great Hall? I wondered about that. I am able to move back and forth between that one and this one as I please. I rather like the location of the other one as it allows me keep an eye on things."

"So Severus is not the only spy at Hogwarts?"

"It would seem so. And Minerva told me that you got him to dance."

"Yes, and everyone acts like I cured cancer or something. Is it _that_ big a deal?"

Albus nodded. "Penelope Wilder thought so. I saw her leave the Ball in tears shortly after."

"Oh," Leah said grimacing. "She didn't really care for me to begin with. While I don't particularly care for her, I hate to hear of anyone having a broken heart, especially at my hand."

"Well, you may have one more to deal with before this is all over. Kingsley?" Minerva said.

"I know. I'm doing my best not to spend too much time with him, but I have so few adult friends here, and I enjoy going running and talking with him. Although, he doesn't care much for Severus. I don't think he can get past the things he's done."

"Sadly, there are some people who cannot, and one of them is Severus himself. Lucky for him, I get the feeling that you are changing that," Albus said.

"I'm working on it," Leah replied, blushing slightly.

Minerva turned to her. "Leah, I am relieved that things are improving between you two. I know it has not been pleasant so far, and I have been trying to think of ways for you to spend a little more time with Severus. My concern is that later, if things go as planned, there may be questions of impropriety with you being a student."

"I know. I would really hate for anything else to reflect badly on him or the school. I think I'll just have to play along for now. Who knows? Maybe I'll get detention for something. Is there a way to make sure that I serve it with him?"

"Not really, unless he is the one to give you the detention," Minerva said with a raised eyebrow.

* * *

Leah slept in on Sunday morning and spent a good part of the afternoon sitting outside catching up on her correspondence. She discovered a quiet spot some weeks back by a group of large rocks, just out of the Whomping Willow's reach. She wrote to Carmen and Dahlia, and to her parents, all to be forwarded by James. She was sure he felt like a delivery boy, distributing her letters for several months now. 

Her parent's letters had to be handled carefully; they were already suspicious of her whereabouts and the purpose of her trip. James sent Leah stationary to use, as parchment would have brought up too many more questions. Once he received them, he had to send her parent's letters to a mailing service who processed them as if they had been mailed from England using the postal service. The whole process was tedious and cumbersome.

Carmen and Dahlia's letters were easier. James simply scanned them in and e-mailed them from work, since they knew enough about Leah's situation to keep any questions at bay.

Once she was finished with those, she wrote letters of generous length to James and the Lupins. She even wrote a letter to Molly Weasley, letting her know that things were looking up.

Finished, Leah leaned back on the smooth, cold rock behind her using her scarf as a pillow and looked up at the clouds. Wondering what she had done to deserve such a blissful moment, she heard purposeful steps crunching the leaves behind her and sat up to see who it was.

"You!" Penelope said angrily. "Who do you think you are?"

"Penelope, so lovely to see you! Congratulations on the match yesterday," Leah said in her best nasty-sweet voice. Standing up and brushing herself off, something caught her eye in the trees to the right; Severus looked knowingly at her and nodded his head in encouragement. Did he want her to continue down the path she was headed with Penelope?

_'Of course he does! Now he can give me detention. Very slick. Well, if you wanted a bitch, you came to the right place!'_ she thought as a satisfied smile graced her lips.

"If you think you can just come in here and do whatever you please, you're wrong. Nobody—," Penelope ranted as Leah cut her off.

"Why, Penelope, I do believe you're jealous." Leah said, baiting her. _'Come on, whip it out, honey. I'll take you right here.'_

Penelope did not disappoint, pulling out her wand and aiming it squarely at Leah's chest. Leah was quick on the draw as well and ready for a fight. Neither one spoke, daring each other to make the next move with their body language. Leah saw Severus move through the trees and come up behind Penelope to confront them.

"_Serpen—_," Leah began forcefully just as Professor Snape cut her off.

"Miss Manning, lower your wand!" he shouted, before lowering his voice and taking on a venomous tone. "My, my, attacking a fellow student. I know Penelope was responsible for Gryffindor's disappointing defeat yesterday, but you are familiar with the rules. Attacking another student is a serious offense. _You_ will come with _me_. Miss Wilder, you may go."

Penelope shot Leah a bitchy smile and Professor Snape an adoring one as she strode away, carefully navigating around the Whomping Willow.

"Are you really going to take me to your office, Professor?" Leah asked submissively.

"This is a serious offense, Miss Manning, and I will be giving it due consideration."

Leah gathered her things and followed Severus up to the castle and into his dungeon office next to the Potions classroom.

"_Colloportus_," he said, just before the door closed behind them and sealed itself shut.

"Were you about to cast a Serpensortia spell at Penelope?" he asked, amused.

"I don't know that many spells yet, but most girls are scared of snakes. It was either that or slugs, so I rolled the dice. Why? Should I get expelled for that?" Leah asked, looking worried.

"No, but it is a serious offence to raise your wand at other students. _Alluring_ in your case, but still a serious offence. I think this warrants a _series_ of detentions, Miss Manning. Shall we say every Saturday morning until Christmas break?"

"Somehow I knew you were going to say that. You know Kingsley will just want to reschedule our running time. And we _really_ need to talk about Peena-lope," Leah said, purposely butchering her name.

"Why, Leah, I _do_ believe you're jealous," he said, imitating her.

"You _wish_. You'd better watch it or I might cast a spell on _you_," she said, taking her wand out and raising an eyebrow.

"I'd love to see you try." Severus lowered her arm and kissed her hungrily as they leaned against his desk. Leah dropped her wand and began unbuttoning his coat.

"So, you thought I was hot threatening her with my wand?" she whispered just before her shirt landed across the room at the food of a towering bookcase.

Leah felt him nod in response as he pulled her hair to one side and trailed his tongue down her neck.

"Are we really going to do this?" she asked, nearly breathless.

Again, Severus nodded and sent everything on his desk crashing to the floor with one swipe.

_**Soundtrack Entry #23 – Edge Of The World – Faith No More**_


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

At dinner Sunday evening, everyone at Leah's table wanted to know about the incident with Penelope. The gossip train always ran full speed at Hogwarts.

"So, I guess no good deed goes unpunished?" Marian said after Leah retold the story for the eighth time.

"What do you mean? I don't recall doing any good deeds."

"Dancing with Snape, of course!" Marian said.

"Are we back on that again? I don't think it has anything to do with me attacking Penelope."

"Sure it does. He wanted to get you back for making him dance in front of everyone. You didn't see him giving _Penelope_ detention, did you?"

"Well, maybe you're right, but she's in Slytherin. I hear he never gives anyone in his house detention," Leah said, adjusting her scarf.

"I think he likes you," Charlie said quietly from across the table.

"Bite your tongue!" Leah exclaimed. "I don't think he could handle me even if he did."

* * *

Leah smiled wide, humming with excitement and eating breakfast on a rainy Thursday morning in mid-November. 

Charlie noticed. "So, today's the day, huh?"

"Yup. I can hardly wait to see him. Remus and his wife were some of my first friends when I arrived in England. He was supposed to come a couple of weeks ago, but his trip was delayed."

"And you said he used to have Professor Shacklebolt's job?"

"Uh-huh," Leah attempted to say while swallowing a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "I'm having tea with them after Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"Sometimes I forget you're an adult, Leah. I bet you get tired of hanging around with kids all the time, huh?"

"No way! Actually, it's the adults I get tired of faster. Not many people get the chance to be a kid again and see things with fresh eyes, Charlie. I'm lucky."

"Alright, Zen master. You're not going to start chanting are you?"

Leah rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to reach across the table and ruffle his hair.

* * *

On her way out of the Great Hall, Leah stopped to say hello to Albus at his portrait. 

"Good morning, Headmaster Dumbledore," she chirped.

"Hello, Leah, excited about Remus' visit?" he chuckled.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes, and I'm glad to see it. I hear from Minerva that he is anxious to see you, too _and_ hear all about how things are going. He'll be arriving just before your Defense Against the Dark Arts class this afternoon. I think Kingsley plans to have him sit in on your class before the three of you have tea."

"Man, you're a good spy! You always know what's goin' down."

"Yes, I do," he replied smugly. "But, I am also very discreet."

"As am I…see you later."

Leah eyed him warily as she turned to head to Charms and decided that anything else she might have said would only end up incriminating her; she wondered exactly how much he knew.

* * *

Leah sat in Potions that afternoon, squirming like a worm in hot ashes. The time could not pass quickly enough for her; she was simply too excited about seeing Remus. 

Severus noticed, and as he passed her table, looking over her shoulder, he said, "Miss Manning, is there a problem?"

"No, Professor."

"Then I suggest you pay attention, before you ruin this potion like so many others before it." His words were low and carried the petty satisfaction of a bully's victory; Leah was glad to see that he still had his poker face.

At that moment, Charlie crossed a silent threshold inside himself. He calmly turned to Professor Snape and said, "Perhaps if you weren't always looking over her shoulder, she might be able to concentrate better, _sir_."

"Mr. Montgomery, you will see me after class," Severus said, trying to look stern.

Leah was never so proud; Charlie would surely serve detention for his comment, but in the grand scheme of life, finding the courage to stand up for someone else was much more important than one measly detention. She leaned over to him when Professor Snape moved on to his next victim and humbly thanked him.

Standing at Professor Snape's desk, presenting her boil cure potion for his approval, she made a silent plea with her eyes asking him to go easy on Charlie since she could not be there to protect him. She knew that Severus needed to keep up appearances, but couldn't help trying to look after her potions partner. What Leah saw in his eyes was all the response she needed; she knew Charlie would be safe.

Leah hurried up to Defense Against the Dark Arts to say hello to Remus before class. She reached the classroom and knocked on Professor Shacklebolt's office door.

"Come in," she heard Kingsley call.

Leah entered and found Kingsley and Remus, seated by the tall windows, talking casually. Seeing her, Remus stood. Leah dashed over and hugged him fiercely, wondering if Kingsley thought her overly emotional. Remus and Tonks felt like family to her, and she didn't realize how much she missed them until he was standing before her. As she looked into Remus' kind face, Leah saw that he was glad to see her as well.

"Tonks and I have missed you, but we enjoy your letters. Tonks is _so_ sorry she couldn't come with me. She really wanted to see you."

Leah listened as he spoke and felt sincere comfort at hearing Remus' voice; it was like hearing her father or Garrison Keillor speak. It was what he did not say, something in his tone or the warmth she could hear, that made her feel like everything would be alright.

"I would have loved to have seen her, Remus, but I can hardly wait until after class to visit with _you_."

Kingsley cleared his throat and said dramatically, "Well, let's get this over with."

"Oh, Kingsley! You know that's not what I meant," Leah said sharply, rolling her eyes.

"I know, but I can't resist giving you a hard time."

She didn't see the adoring look he gave her when she turned to re-enter the classroom.

* * *

Charlie came in and took his seat next to Leah as class was beginning. 

"So?" Leah whispered expectantly.

"He let me go."

"What do you mean he let you go?" she asked through her teeth, confused.

"I mean, he didn't give me detention, just a warning," Charlie said as he shrugged his shoulders. "He wasn't even that mean."

Leah half-smiled as she processed the information and unconsciously played with the fringe on her scarf.

* * *

A couple of students stayed after class with questions for Professor Shacklebolt, and Leah and Remus made their way into his office to wait for him. 

"Remus, I'm so glad you're here. I imagine you read my last letter. Things are going _very _well."

"I'm glad to hear it, but we need to talk. Alone. Perhaps this evening after dinner?"

"Sure," Leah said, eyeing him with a worried expression. "It's nothing to do with you and Tonks, is it?"

Remus shook his head when he saw Kingsley come through the door.

* * *

Leah sat finishing her dinner with the other Gryffindors and thinking how beautiful the bewitched sky in the Great Hall was that evening. She was studying a particularly radiant star that seemed to shine pale blue when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Remus standing behind her. 

"Up for a walk?"

"Definitely. I'm done eating, and it's a gorgeous night." Getting up from her seat and readjusting her scarf, Leah introduced Remus to Marian, Charlie and several other Gryffindors sitting with her.

"Great to meet all of you! I was a Gryffindor, too," he said, head held high.

As they made their way out of the Great Hall, Leah saw Albus in his portrait and gave him a quick wink.

Alone with her in the crisp night air, Remus said, "Tonks and I were glad to hear that you finally got through to Severus. We hated to think of you here, new and alone in a strange place, with him giving you a hard time."

"It was rough there for a while, but I made it. And I love learning magic! I'm spending lots of time with Professor Trelawney learning Divination, and I feel like I'm making real progress. And I'm _so in love_, it's embarrassing," she said, covering her face with her hands.

"I know. I saw it on your face the minute you came into Kingsley's office. It's very evident in Severus, too…nothing that everyone would notice, but since I've known him for so many years, it's evident to me. Of all the things I would have expected to hear someone say about Severus, being in love with him would never have been one of them."

Remus stopped walking and turned to Leah. "But I'm glad. He deserves to be happy, and I can see that you really love him. I know what it's like to carry a burden that other people could not possibly understand, and I know what it's like to have someone who loves you in spite of it."

"Remus, you're so reassuring. Are you and Tonks considering having children? You'd be an amazing father."

"The subject has come up, but my condition complicates things. We're thinking about it."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Leah said, wincing. "Just tell me if I'm being too nosy."

"It's fine, Leah. I would have been surprised if you _hadn't _asked. Everyone else does. But there is something else we need to talk about – Kingsley."

"I know," Leah said, wincing again. "What should I do? Does he _really_ like me?"

"He's got it pretty bad. Although I don't think he suspects anything about you and Severus. You may already know that Kingsley doesn't care for him too much."

"Yeah. I established that early on, and the other day, he wanted to tell me about Albus, but he stopped – like it was so bad he couldn't even say it out loud." Leah shook her head and sighed. "I can't believe what he's had to endure. I wanted to drop kick Kingsley."

"At least you understand what you're up against. Severus is lucky to have you, and I think I'm going to tell him so. I have a meeting with him tomorrow afternoon. Why don't you join us? 2:00 tomorrow?"

"I have time scheduled with Professor Trelawney, but I can be there around 3:00. Maybe give you two some time to bury the hatchet?"

"Actually, that is exactly what I had in mind. I've decided to take your advice and there are some things I need to say to him. We'll see how it goes," Remus said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm not sure how he'll react, but I know he'll appreciate it. Wait a minute, back to Kingsley. What should I do? I can't exactly avoid him. He's my teacher _and_ my head of house. We used to run together on Saturdays, but now that I've got detention on Saturday mornings, that's out."

"Hold it. You have detention every Saturday morning?" Remus asked, laughing.

"Yup, with Severus. That was the only unsuspicious way for us to get to spend any time together. Quit laughing! It was Minerva's idea!" Leah said as Remus doubled over. "It's kind of a long story. Why don't you ask Severus about it tomorrow? I'd love to hear him tell his version of it."

* * *

_**Author's Note:** I am going to guess if you are now reading this chapter, that you have read Chapter 39. Dear reader, please accept my apology for that horrid display of emotion from our Potions master. What can I say? To err is human...I have now edited and re-posted Chapter 39. If you feel so inclined, you may want to re-read the first section of that chapter, before the first scene break. The changes are all in that section and the soundtrack entry at the end. Thanks for sticking with me! -MK _


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

"You've got a letter, Leah," Charlie said when he saw her approaching their usual table for breakfast.

"Thanks," she said, taking it from his outstretched hand. "Oh, it's from Molly!"

"It says Molly _Weasley_. Any relation to the shop in Diagon Alley?" he asked hopefully.

"Actually, yes, she's their mom. I mean, _mum_."

Leah could tell that Charlie was suitably impressed with her connections as he continued to eat.

* * *

November 15, 2006 

Dear Leah,

It was so nice to hear from you! I was glad to hear that things are looking up. You will keep me informed, won't you?

I was already planning to write to you when I received your letter because my son Charlie will be coming to Hogwarts later this month. Hagrid will be away for a bit, and Charlie will be filling in for him, teaching his Care of Magical Creatures classes until the spring term starts.

He has worked extensively with dragons and is looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Charlie is only a couple of years older than you, and I have told him to find you and introduce himself when he gets settled.

Too bad you're already attached or I may have tried to set you up! But not to worry, dear, your secret is safe with me.

I hope all of your classes are going well. Please write and let me know if you need anything!

Love,  
Molly Weasley

* * *

Leah made a mental note to go down to Hagrid's cottage later to find out when Charlie Weasley would be arriving and wish Hagrid well on his trip. She waved to him almost every week out on her run, but had not had much time to talk with him other than that. Leah remembered her first glimpse of Hogwarts from Hagrid's boat the night she first came to the school, and she decided to speak to him more often.

* * *

After Transfiguration, Leah stopped by Kingsley's office to ask him about her vision in the crystal ball a few weeks back; she had attempted it several other times, but there were always other people around. 

Leah knocked on his office door and heard his familiar, deep voice grant her entrance.

"Professor, do you have a minute? I need to ask you something."

"I always have time for you, Leah."

Leah felt like dog crap. Dog crap covered in flies. Kingsley was always so kind to her, and any girl would have been lucky to have someone like him interested in her. She wished things could have been different between them and hated knowing that Kingsley might be hurt when he found out about her and Severus. Leah decided to ask her question and get out of there as quickly as possible.

"I've been spending some extra time working with Professor Trelawney, and I Saw something that I need to ask you about. This is going to sound strange, but have you ever _carried_ someone to the Hospital Wing? At night?"

Kingsley's chair creaked as he leaned back to consider her question.

"No, not that I can remember. Why? Did you See me doing that? Someone was hurt?"

"Yeah, I think so. I Saw it in the crystal ball, and Professor Trelawney said I should ask you about it. I couldn't tell if I was Seeing the past or the future," Leah said, twisting her scarf fringe around her index finger.

"That's troubling."

"I know," Leah said, scrunching up her face. "But I'll work on it and try to See more."

"So, you're training for Divination?"

Leah nodded. "I think this is supposed to be on the down low, but I know I can trust you. Professor Trelawney Saw that I would come to Hogwarts and eventually replace her. I have to take an O.W.L. examination in the Spring, so we're working together trying to get me prepared. We'll see what happens."

"Leah, that's excellent! I'm so proud of you."

Leah wasn't sure why, but she felt tears coming. No one had been proud of her for anything in so long, and it was wonderful to hear it from someone she respected, someone she knew she would end up hurting with her lies.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying. See you later, OK?" she squeaked, hurrying out of his office and down the corridor.

After a few deep breaths and a little cold water splashed on her face, Leah felt better and made her way outside toward Hagrid's cottage. It was another windy, fall day and Leah let it cheer her. She threw one end of her scarf back over her shoulder in an exaggerated gesture.

_'I wonder when it snows around here?'_ she thought, looking forward to a real winter.

Approaching the cottage, she saw the familiar smoke swirling from Hagrid's chimney and found him in his pumpkin patch.

"Mornin', Leah. Not out fer yer usual run today?"

"Nope, I came to see you. I got a letter from Molly Weasley saying that her son, Charlie, would be filling in for you while you're away. Going somewhere fun?"

"Goin' ter visit my brother, Grawp," Hagrid said proudly. "He lives a ways off, so when I go, I stay a while."

"That's nice, Hagrid. I'm hoping to visit my family over Christmas…they're a ways off, too. When do you think Charlie will arrive? Molly wants me to meet up with him when he gets here so she can check up on me," Leah said with a wink.

"Prob'ly nex' week. You'll like Charlie, he was a Gryffindor, too, and a thumpin' good Seeker! I reckon you two are 'bout the same age. If I know Molly, she's hopin' you two'll hit it off, _if yer know what I mean_," Hagrid said, elbowing her as he blushed through the dirt smudges on his face.

"I'm sure he's very nice, and I'm looking forward to meeting him, but I've got too much else on my plate to be worrying about that stuff right now."

"Well, I'm jus' sayin', yer never know. I heard about yer gettin' Professor Snape to dance."

_'Here we go again,'_ Leah thought as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

Severus watched from inside the castle as Leah spoke with Hagrid, and he wondered what she was discussing so intently with him. In all the time he continued stalking her, he never saw her spend any time with Hagrid. 

As she waved goodbye to Hagrid and turned to walk back up to the castle, Severus smiled as he noticed the familiar red and gold stripes around Leah's neck.

_'Tomorrow morning will not come soon enough,'_ he thought, looking forward to detention.

* * *

Leah passed Marian and Gray in the corridor as she hurried up to the North Tower to meet Professor Trelawney after lunch; as usual, they were holding hands and making goo-goo eyes at one another. 

Settling into the blue, velvet wing chair in the classroom, Leah reported back to Professor Trelawney about her earlier discussion with Kingsley regarding her vision in the crystal ball.

"I'll get the crystal, dear. Clear your mind and prepare to focus. I am sorry, but we must delay dream interpretation until you have further clarification of this particular vision."

Leah was disappointed. Her dreams had always played such a large part in her life, but she agreed that more work was needed to make sure no one was in danger.

The time passed fruitlessly, and Leah was soon on her way to Professor Snape's office. She knocked hesitantly on the door, not knowing what carnage she might find when she entered; she was pleasantly surprised to find them having a drink and a civilized discussion.

"Miss Manning, join us. We've saved you a seat," Severus said, indicating the empty seat next to him.

Leah closed the door securely behind her. "So, have you two been behaving yourselves?"

"Yes, Severus was just regaling me with the story of your detention. Serpensortia? Don't you think that was a bit harsh, Leah?"

"Probably should have gone for the slugs, huh?"

"I don't know. I rather enjoyed it," Severus said as Leah took his hand.

"Thank you, darling. Besides, it got me what I wanted, detention with the _dreaded_ Professor Snape." Leah hadn't meant to call him darling, but it simply slipped out. Fortunately, Severus' cool countenance did not falter, and she was relieved to see that he was not embarrassed or put out with her. Remus, on the other hand, was doing his best to hide his surprise at their behavior, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

"Although, maybe not _quite_ so dreaded any more. Thank you for not traumatizing little Charlie."

"His only crime was defending you, so I went easy on him. Not _too easy_, I hope. We have to keep up appearances."

"No, I think it was enough. Charlie was just expecting more because you're always so nasty to _me_," Leah said before turning to Remus. "I believe I _may_ have mentioned that the beginning of the term was pretty rough, didn't I, Remus?"

"You two are a nice pair. Sarcasm suits you, Leah," Remus said, noticing the familiar way Severus looked at her; it was the same way he looked at Tonks, with a mixture of adoration and amazement. "Well, Minerva's expecting me, so I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself."

The two men stood and walked to the door, shaking hands before Remus left. Leah studied Severus as he shook his head ever so slightly before turning his attention back her.

"So, how did your talk go?" Leah asked tentatively.

"It was surprising, quite surprising, but I don't want to talk about Remus. What were you doing down at Hagrid's earlier?"

"Stalker. I got a letter from Molly Weasley this morning, and her son's coming soon to take over Hagrid's classes while he's away. I wanted to find out when he was leaving and wish him a safe journey. Why?"

"No particular reason, just curious what you were up to. Is it Charlie who's coming?"

"How did you know? Did you spy on my letter, too?" she asked tartly as he reclaimed his seat in the armchair next to her.

"I am familiar with the Weasleys, and I know that Charlie works with dragons. It was an obvious conclusion."

"Molly wants him to check on me, I'm sure, and report back to her. I really like her, Severus."

"Where did you two meet, if I may ask?"

"In Diagon Alley just after I got my wand. Tonks and I ran into her at Fred and George's store. I bet they were a handful to have as students, cute though. Anyway, Molly knows about you and me, but I swore her to secrecy."

"Hmmm," he said, narrowing his gaze. His expression was unreadable.

Leah stood and settled herself in his lap sideways, putting her arms around Severus' neck as he reached for his wand to seal the door.

"Severus, I have something to ask you," she said, laying her head on his shoulder. "Would you come home with me for Christmas break? I miss my family, and it's time to tell them the truth about why I'm here."

"What _have_ you told them?"

"As little as possible. They weren't too happy that I left my life and my job to follow after someone I hadn't known very long, but they didn't have much choice, since I was already in London when I told them. I called them from outside of Remus and Tonks' house a couple of days before I came to school. Severus, they don't know about magic or that I'm a witch, and I'd really like you with me when I tell them. I _need_ you there."

"Then you shall have me," Severus said, thinking of everything she had already faced, and had yet to face, for him. "Although, I'm not sure I am going to make things better with your parents. I told you before that I doubt they'll approve of me."

"Well, _they _don't get to choose, do they? Besides, I'll be enlisting James' and my brother Brandon's help in advance. And since you're in such an agreeable mood, I have something else to ask you. Will you teach me how to read people's minds like you do?"

"So, Minerva told you about that?"

"Actually, it was Albus," she said, pausing as she saw the look of annoyance pass over Severus' face. "I know everything. I even saw your dream of me in that bowl thingy."

"I believe you mean the Pensieve."

"Right. You saw me that night at the lake on the dock, didn't you? I thought I was alone. You watched me skinny dip, too, I bet," Leah said, narrowing her eyes in accusation.

Severus nodded, not entirely pleased with himself, but unable to hide his enjoyment of the experience.

"I dreamed of you, too. I'd had the dream for years and then, there you were. It happened at the gala. You crossed the ballroom with the two glasses of champagne and I asked you if you were looking for someone. I knew then that I wasn't going to let you get away."

Severus wondered how he could have ever left her, and where he would be now if she had not followed him. He pulled her close. "I thank you for your persistence," he whispered in her ear.

"You're welcome, but you didn't answer my question about teaching me," she said, refocusing the conversation.

"Legilimency is no simple matter. It is _much_ more complex than just _reading someone's mind_. Perhaps you should concentrate on Divination for now and we can work on it after Christmas, when you have more free time. You know, if you want to know what I'm thinking, you have only to ask," he said before claiming her mouth with his own.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

The following Friday at dinner, Headmistress McGonagall called for everyone's attention before the start of the meal.

"As you may know, Professor Hagrid will be away for a few weeks before the holiday and Professor Weasley will be taking his place until he returns. I doubt many of you will recognize Charlie Weasley, but it was not that long ago that he was a student here. Gryffindors, you may recognize the name, as he and his brothers and sister were all in your house at one time or another. Welcome back, Professor Weasley," she said, nodding toward the smiling, stocky redhead seated behind her at the staff table.

Charlie Weasley looked quite tan for a redhead, or maybe it was just that he was covered in freckles. He appeared rather casual, leaning back in his chair, as Minerva introduced him, and Leah couldn't decide if he looked adventurous or cocky.

_'Probably just adventurous. I don't think any of Molly's kids would be cocky.'_

She caught his eye and nodded when she saw the light of recognition in his face. Leah knew she stuck out like a black bra under a white shirt in the midst of all of the younger students. She envisioned Molly standing by a kitchen sink, reminding Charlie to introduce himself when he arrived at Hogwarts and report back on how she was doing.

Leah smiled, wondering when she would see Molly again; she felt an easy kinship with the Weasley matriarch and her large family.

Severus watched Leah evaluating Charlie Weasley and dreaded the time when he would have to face the Weasley clan with her as a couple. He knew how she felt about Molly, and truth be told, he respected her as well, but the thought of handling all of them at once intimidated him. Given Leah's fondness for Molly, he knew it would eventually happen, especially if Tonks and Remus had anything to do with it.

* * *

Leah donned her running clothes and headed for the front doors of the castle on a dreary Sunday afternoon to get in a quick run before it began to rain. The clouds looked ominous, and she knew she would have to hurry to make it all the way around her usual route before she got soaked. 

The wind was frigid and felt much fiercer than it had looked from inside her room. As she was running along the edge of the forbidden forest approaching Hagrid's cottage, Leah felt the first drops of rain falling slowly at first, then descending in a sudden deluge. She was sprinting to Hagrid's to take shelter under the eaves when she noticed the usual smoke billowing from his chimney.

_'I guess Charlie is staying there.'_ She wiped her cold, wet hair back off of her cheeks. Leah didn't want to impose, but she was now soaking wet _and_ freezing, so she decided to knock on the door for an impromptu visit with Charlie Weasley.

Charlie answered the knock to find the woman he noticed Friday night at dinner, drenched and shivering at his door.

"Hi, you must be Charlie. Would you mind if –," she tried to ask as he pulled her inside out of the rain. "Thank you."

"Leah, right?" he asked, leading her over to the roaring fireplace and pulling over a chair.

"Yeah. Oh, no," she said, shaking her wet hair and scattering water droplets everywhere. "I don't want to get everything all wet."

"Here. At least take this." Charlie unfolded a tattered blue quilt and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry to show up on you unannounced like this. I thought I'd have time to make it all the way around before it rained."

"No worries. I was just wishing I was up at the castle with everyone else, besides, this gives us a chance to get acquainted. Mum asked me to make sure you were getting along alright," he said in a voice that sounded fake-sweet.

"I love your mum! I only met her that one time, but she couldn't have been nicer. And how are Fred and George doing?"

Listening to her, Charlie's expression turned predatory. "They're fine. They keep asking Mum about you, and she keeps avoiding their questions. I believe you have a secret, Leah, and you must have shared it with my Mum that day in Diagon Alley."

Leah tried not to look worried as she thought of how exactly to respond without giving anything away. They evaluated each other in the tawny firelight while Leah scrambled for an answer.

"Very perceptive. I wonder, can I trust you, Charlie Weasley?" she said, toying with him.

"The answer is yes. I am incredibly trustworthy."

"Excellent. When I have something to confide, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Hmmm. Tea?" he offered, shaking off defeat.

"That would be lovely. You sure you don't have a bottle of Veritaserum over there?"

"Unfortunately not. Although, I _am_ a Professor now, maybe I could get some from Snape. He seems a bit more approachable than I remember."

Leah's blood froze as Charlie's words hung in the air, but she showed no outward sign of her terror.

"So, I hear that you work with dragons. You didn't bring any, did you?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Actually, I did. A little one."

"A baby dragon?! Can I see it?"

"As long as you swear not to tell anyone. It would ruin my surprise for tomorrow's classes."

Leah nodded and crossed heart. Charlie put down the tea kettle and disappeared behind a ragged curtain in a dark corner of the cottage. She heard a small squeaky-squawky noise over the pounding rain as he emerged with a small bundle in his arms.

"Want to hold him?" he asked, presenting her with a tiny greenish gray dragon about the size of a kitten.

"Oh my gosh! He's so cute!" she said, taking the dragon and the grubby blanket he was wrapped in.

Charlie rolled his eyes as she immediately began to coo and make silly faces at it. "You and Hagrid would make a doting set of parents. He did the same thing."

"Well, I can't help it," Leah said in exasperation. "Does he have a name?"

"Thor," Charlie said in a manly voice, puffing out his chest.

"Nice. I'm sure he'll have a _huge_ wanker."

"Not exactly bashful, are you? Mum was right to try and keep Fred and George away from you."

"As a matter of fact, I'm not. And I bet you like those shy violet types that enjoy basking in the rays of your ego?"

"Yeah," he said, looking genuinely surprised at her accuracy. "You know any?"

"None come to mind at the moment, but I'll keep an eye out," Leah said with a smile, relieved that the mood had lightened considerably between them. "Ouch! Mother—of pearl."

"Yeah, I forgot to tell you. Thor bites," he said smiling, handing her a cup of tea.

"He certainly does. Maybe you should hold him while I drink my tea."

* * *

"So, what's he like?" Marian asked, lying on her bed, as Leah put on her pajamas. 

"Cocky."

"Oh, come off it, Professor Weasley couldn't have been that bad. He let you in out of the rain, didn't he?"

"True, but I should have just turned around and taken my chances," Leah said, curling her lip remembering the three tedious hours she spent with Charlie Weasley.

"I think Snape's starting to rub off on you, Leah. You're spending quite a bit of time with him these days."

"Only when I have to! Classes and detentions. It's not exactly a pleasure cruise, you know."

"Well, you're definitely starting to rub off on _him_. Gray told me that he didn't give Advanced Potions much homework last week _and_ that he was seen almost smiling at his desk one day."

"What does that have to do with the price of beans? Maybe he'd just pulled the wings off some butterflies," Leah said, trying to hide her worry behind sarcasm.

"I'm just saying, he's different, and the only thing different in his life, as of late, is his time spent with you. You really have a way with the Professors, Leah."

"Well, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't spread your theories around. I got a 'rep' to protect," she said, turning up her imaginary collar.

* * *

Severus sat, once again, grading papers and trying to concentrate after Leah's Monday afternoon Potions class. He eagerly dug through the parchments on his desk trying to find her assignment, and more importantly, her note. 

**Severus,  
This Saturday is Quidditch again, and I wonder if you would like to make another wager? My bet is on Ravenclaw as Marian assures me that Gray and his team have the match well in hand. We could make the stakes double or nothing if you like, as you have not yet had the opportunity to claim your previous winnings.  
Also, I am hearing rumors that concern me, rumors that you are getting soft, even pleasant. While I rather enjoy the changes, I think it may be time to crack the whip. You are welcome to borrow mine if you like.  
Leah**

* * *

Just before dinner, Sadie appeared at the window carrying a reply from Professor Snape. 

**Leah,  
If you are trying to change your luck with regard to your previous loss, you have chosen the wrong team. I assure you that Hufflepuff will emerge victorious on Saturday. However unethical it may be of me, I accept your wager and will have to give the stakes some consideration.  
With regard to your concerns about my demeanor, I will do my best to rectify the situation. I thank you for you kind offer, but would like you to know that I have my own instruments of torture at the ready for whenever the occasion may present itself. Pleasure and pain can be a delicious combination.  
Severus**

Leah smiled knowingly and tucked the note away into one of the inner pockets of her suitcase under the bed.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Just in case there are any of you out there who like Kingsley, I want to let you know that I will be posting a one-shot, sort of an alternate for Chapter 37. It explores what could have happened if Kingsley had consumed his spiked drink at the Ball. I know, he's no Severus. And yes, I'm completely evil..but give it a chance. It's just for fun... -MK  
_


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

Severus thought the week would drag on forever until his Saturday morning detention with Leah. He spent his nights alone, in front of a crackling fire in his chamber, reading or grading parchments; he occupied himself with anything that would take his mind off of how badly he missed her.**  
**

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Wednesday, November 29, 2006  
10:40 p.m.

For the first time in many years, I am actually not dreading Christmas. While I know I must meet Leah's family and find some way to win their approval, I find myself curious about them and eager to know the people who have made her who she is. I am also very anxious to see James again and make my apologies in person. Leah assures me that he is not angry with me, but having had so few real friends in my life, I feel I must mend things with him face to face.

While the rumors about me 'losing my edge' are of some concern, I find myself experiencing a strange and pleasant sensation each morning when I wake. I look forward to the day's prospects, seeing my Leah, working with my more capable students, not taking things for granted any more. My life has not been a fairy tale, but it is infinitely more enjoyable without bitterness and disappointment as my constant companions.

As much as I love Leah, I often wonder if I possess the courage to tell her – or to make a life with her. The old me would have been afraid of the embarrassment I will surely suffer when all is revealed. However, the man I feel taking over does not care. He is only interested in being with Leah and becoming the man she deserves.

I have never had anyone else to consider; the impact of my actions, my choices and my past will all affect her, and I still find myself surprised that she is willing to take me on. Her strength is more than surprising.

* * *

Leah strode into Professor Snape's office on Saturday morning as he sat behind his desk trying to grade a few last minute assignments before their "detention". 

"Good morning, Miss Manning," he said, looking up from his desk and closing the door with a flick of his wand.

"Good morning, Professor. I was wondering, could we spend a little time this morning working on something related to school? I need help with something and since I have an expert all to myself…"

"Of course. I like to think that you would use me as a resource whenever you need to and that perhaps you _may_ have even learned a few things from me."

Leah stood behind his chair, running her hands over his shoulders and down his chest before leaning close to his ear. "I probably should have learned much more in your class than I have, darling. It's just that when I hear you giving out the day's instructions, all I really want is to do is misbehave so you'll ask me to stay after class for a _reprimand_. Your voice is quite a distraction."

"It is fortunate that you have such admirable self control. I find that I am less and less able to control _myself_ in your presence. Only two weeks until break," he said, looking mischievous.

"I know. I've been counting the days," Leah said, curling into his lap. "The spells I want to learn aren't really related to the curriculum. I want to learn some defensive spells in case Peena-lope tries to jump me again. You can teach me those, right?"

"Probably better than most, unfortunately."

"On the contrary, I think it's quite fortunate. You and I could be a good team, kickin' ass and takin' names."

"Are you really worried that she will attack you? Have you heard something about Miss Wilder?" he asked skeptically.

"Nothing in particular, but she _really_ hates me. I can see it in her face when we pass in the corridors, and it's been that way all semester. She always looks like she's ready for a catfight. I'm sure she'll drop Divination when she comes back from break and sees that I'm Trelawney's apprentice. I hate that, though. I don't like the thought that I would be the one to keep her from studying it. Although, I guess we're a nice pair, loose cannon Leah and the dreaded Professor Snape," she said with an amateur's evil laugh.

"Speak for yourself. I thought you said I was losing my edge."

"That reminds me, I think I may have thought of a wager for today's match. I propose that if Ravenclaw wins, you will have to make friends with Professor Weasley. When I got stuck with him that afternoon, he said you didn't seem as bad as he remembered."

Leah waited and watched Severus consider her proposal. She knew what she hoped to achieve, but wondered how transparent her scheme was. Leah had laid awake the previous evening for some time trying to think of a way to get Severus more comfortable with the Weasleys; she saw the look pass over his face last time they came up in conversation and sensed that he dreaded having to be with them in a social setting.

"So, you think if I'm nice to Charlie, that will smooth the way for us to be friendly with _all _of the Weasleys?"

"Us? Did you just speak of you and me as one entity?" Leah asked hopefully.

"Yes. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

He was barely finished speaking when Leah captured him with a fiery kiss.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked, catching her breath. "You see 'us' doing things and being a couple in the future tense. I am very comfortable with that. Girls love that stuff. And, yes, that is why I wanted you to be friendly with him. It wouldn't be _that_ suspicious, would it? He's a Professor now, as he took great pride in reminding me. He's just a wee bit full of himself."

"Very well, I accept your wager. I'll be friendly to Charlie if Ravenclaw wins, and if Hufflepuff wins, you will help me clean out and reorganize my private stores next Saturday."

"Hot."

"Your wager isn't exactly steamy. Now, I suggest we begin on those defense spells before we get _distracted_. I would hate for you to be a damsel in distress."

* * *

As Gray and the rest of the Ravenclaw team celebrated their Quidditch win down on the field, Severus looked over at a satisfied Leah who gave him a slight nod. She watched as he turned to Charlie Weasley and began a conversation. 

"Leah, did you just see Snape looking at you?" Charlie Mongomery asked.

"No. What do you mean? He was looking at me?"

Charlie gave her a grandiose, exaggerated nod. "And he was _smiling_. I didn't think he knew how."

"Well, maybe he won a bet or something. Look, he's talking with Professor Weasley, I bet they had a wager going on the match." Leah hoped her lie would distract Charlie long enough to escape or change the subject.

"Professor Shacklebolt, how are you today?" Leah asked as he approached, trying to deflect attention from herself.

"Freezing. How are you Miss Manning?" he asked with a smile.

"I'm cold, too, but it was a great match," she said, playing with the fringe on her scarf.

"Would you walk back to the castle with me? There's something I would like to discuss with you," he asked, suddenly serious.

"Is everything alright?"

"I think so. It's regarding the vision you asked me about." Once they reached the ground and got away from the crowd, he continued. "I mentioned it to Minerva because I was concerned, and I wanted her to be in on it in case anything happened."

"That's probably a good idea."

"She told me that several of your past visions involved you. Leah, do you think it could be you that I was carrying to the Hospital Wing?" Kingsley asked, deep concern marring his usually jovial face.

"I suppose it could have been. I wasn't able to make out any detail on the person being carried."

A cold shiver went down Leah's spine as she spoke, and she was suddenly glad she was working on defensive spells with Severus.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sure everything will be fine."

* * *

Leah spent more time than usual studying with Marian in the library the following week. Deep into a review of the Goblin Wars for her History of Magic exam, Leah noticed Penelope out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she saw her coming out of the restricted section looking terribly pleased with herself. 

"What do you suppose she was up to?" Leah said, gently nudging Marian and tilting her head in Penelope's direction.

"No telling," Marian replied as Penelope shot them an ugly look.

"What's in the restricted section?"

"Lots of stuff, rare books, hard to find information, Dark magic. You need a note signed by a Professor to get in."

"What did you find, Peena-lope?" Leah said through her teeth as she narrowed her gaze.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** My apologies for the delay in posting this chapter. It is most annoying when life gets in the way of your story. ;) In other news, I really am getting ready to post the Kingsley one-shot...it should show up under my profile as a second story. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! -MK_


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

The following Saturday morning Leah appeared as usual at Severus' office door. However, this time, she did not find him at his usual well-organized post. His office was a mess, and it looked like he did, in fact, intend to clean out his potions supplies and private stores.

"Can I help?" she asked from the doorway.

"No need. I can do this later," he said as Leah closed the door. "I have been looking forward to our detention all week." Leah leaned back against the closed door, and Severus crossed the room regarding her intently, studying her face. She did the same to him, reaching up and pulling his hair back.

Leah felt his weight press against her and hold her firmly against the door as their lips met. They kissed slowly, savoring each other, and she wondered how she could have ever settled for anyone but her dark horse. Working her way down his neck, she simply whispered his name as she passed his ear. Severus shuddered with the intensity he felt and pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.

Searching his face for what made him back away, she saw hesitation in his eyes when he said, "Do you have any idea –". Leah put her hand to his mouth as a single tear escaped her eye; she did not speak, but nodded serenely. Leah had no use for confessions that came with uncertainty.

Severus reached for his wand and sealed the door while wiping her tear. Neither one spoke as his hands made their way down onto her hips, sliding her body down the length of the door and onto the floor. Leah subtly guided Severus onto his back and straddled him as she began to unbutton his coat and shirt.

"It is a pity that you are so shy," he purred, his eyes lit with an inner fire.

"You will be gentle with me, won't you, Professor?" Leah said in an innocent voice, lowering her eyes submissively.

Severus could take no more. He sat up to face her and assisted in the removal of her shirt; he needed to feel her skin, warm and soft, against his. Severus knew that what they were doing was incredibly reckless, but he was not interested in the repercussions – he simply had to have her, here, now. Nothing else mattered.

The ancient floor was cold and unforgiving, but Leah would have lain across broken glass to make love with Severus. She was vaguely aware of the stone beneath her as her nails dug into his skin at the pleasure he gave her. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to restrain her vocal exaltations.

When they were peaceful in each other's arms, he reached for his robe and covered them with it. Leah could not have been happier; each time Severus passed her in the corridor or strode into his classroom with his robe billowing, she imagined it wrapped against her bare skin.

"I bet when you bought that robe, you didn't think you'd be doing this with it."

"No. I never considered myself a fortunate man until I saw you. Every day since you snuck up on me in James' kitchen has been a surprise. Your grace is more than I deserve."

"I don't like to hear you talk like that, Severus. You _have_ made mistakes, but at least you had the wisdom and the courage to try and rectify them. You deserve much more than me, but I'm afraid I can't let you go now that I've sampled the merchandise."

She could see that he was slightly overwhelmed with her statement and decided to change the subject. "This isn't a very romantic thing to say, but I'll be glad to help you clean out and organize your supplies if you like. It would be a good review for me for my Potions exam."

"I would like that very much, but I'm not ready to let you go just yet," Severus said, burying his face in her hair and drinking in her scent.

"This is going to be a long week. In college, I always felt like exams would never end," she said, pulling him even closer. "So, we'll leave together next Saturday?"

"That was my plan. You have not had the opportunity to travel by Floo yet, have you?"

"If that's the fireplace thingy, no, but Marian told me about how it works. Can we do it together? I'd hate to end up in Timbuktu by accident."

"I would not let that happen. We'll go together," Severus said, his voice low and reassuring. "Since we won't be flying out until Monday, I thought we could stay at my house in London. It's nothing special, but it is out of the way. No one will bother us."

"That sounds heavenly. Although, I wouldn't mind staying around here sometime when it's deserted. There are so many locations in the castle just begging to be _christened_."

"You really are filthy cute."

* * *

Sunday, December 10, 2006 

Dear James,

Thank you so much for arranging our plane tickets! I am looking forward to coming home and seeing everyone more than I can say. I may need your help with Mom and Dad since they will be meeting Severus for the first time. I don't think he's looking forward to the meeting since he doesn't think they'll approve of him. I honestly don't know whether they'll approve or not. I think they'll be more freaked out by the magic than him.

I am enclosing a letter to Brandon. Will you deliver it to him at work for me? I need to get to him before I see everyone else, so that I can have you both on my side when we face my parents.

Things are going really well here at school. I spend time with Severus when I can, but this week will be incredibly busy with exams.

I can hardly wait to see you! Thank you for all that you have done and everything that you are doing for us now. Severus is anxious to see you and apologize for the way he left. He hasn't said so, but I can tell. He misses you as I do.

Hope you are smiling,  
Leah

* * *

Leah sat at lunch on Wednesday happily drinking her pumpkin juice. 

_'Three down, three to go,'_ she thought as Charlie approached looking exhausted. His bag dropped onto the floor with a substantial thud.

"Kill me now," he said heavily.

"It'll be over soon," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Have some lunch and you'll feel better. Only Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions left."

"Easy for you to say, Leah. Two of those guys have crushes on you!"

Leah suddenly thought how small the Great Hall could be. "What are you talking about?" she asked, growing weary of the act.

"Oh, come on! Shacklebolt would never fail you, and _Snape_, he's _totally in love_ with you!"

"_Lower your voice_," Leah threatened, hackles raised.

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Snape," Charlie murmured near her ear, pleased to see that he had gotten a rise out of her. He saw the changes in Snape as everyone else had, and, despite her protests, he knew that Leah was fond of him. Charlie couldn't have said how he knew, but he knew just the same.

* * *

Thursday crept by for Leah and Charlie, their Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts exams taking up most of the day. They were exhausted by dinnertime and trudged into the Great Hall to see Marian already seated, beaming at them. 

"Had a good day, did we?" Leah said, evaluating Marian. Her smile looked to be about more than a successful exam.

"Gray asked if he could come and see me over break! He's going to come for New Years Eve. My parents always have a big party. It's going to be so romantic!" Marian gushed.

"That'll be fun. I wonder what I'll be doing for New Years? Maybe I'll plan something with the Lupins," she thought out loud. She leaned in close and said quietly, "Mare, are we going to the library after dinner? I've only got Potions left tomorrow, and I really want to ace it."

"Sure, I have Charms and Arithmancy tomorrow, and I've got work to do as well. Why are we whispering?"

"Tell you later."

* * *

Walking to the library, Marian asked, "OK, so why were we whispering at dinner?" 

"I guess we really didn't need to. It's just that Charlie blurted out yesterday that I had nothing to worry about with Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions because 'both of those guys have crushes on me'," she said, making little quotation marks in the air with her fingers. She decided to leave off the part about Mrs. Snape since that had hit way too close to home.

"Well, I won't blurt anything out, but he's right. You _have_ to know that, Leah."

"So, it's _that_ obvious? Everyone's talking about me?" Leah asked, on edge.

"Not about _you _so much, just that _they_ fancy you. Although, I did hear a really good rumor after that ball that you slipped love potions into their drinks," Marian said, laughing.

"It's not funny. That could really hurt their reputations. You haven't had a job and worked at a career like I have. Rumors like that can do a lot of damage."

"Don't worry, Leah. It's not quite that serious. The only people who are taking it that way are you and Penelope. You need to watch out for her."

"I know. I don't know whether to hate her or feel sorry for her. Come on, it's time to get down to business," Leah said, opening the door to the library.

They settled at a large table, spreading out their books and digging in. Charlie soon appeared looking sheepish.

"Leah, can I talk to you?" he whispered.

"I guess. What is it?"

"I'm sorry about yesterday. Can I still study with you for tomorrow? You _are_ my Potions partner."

"Sure, pull up a chair. But no more of that Mrs. Snape nonsense, OK?" she warned quietly.

Charlie nodded and put his things down as Leah scooted over to make room for him at the table. She and Marian exchanged a quick smile before refocusing on their studies.

When Madam Pince came around warning everyone that the library would be closing in five minutes, Leah looked up at Marian and Charlie. "Well, I don't think I can do too much more damage in here. I'm going to run to the little girls room and meet you upstairs, Mare. Charlie, see you at breakfast. Get some sleep, OK?"

Charlie nodded and smiled wearily while Leah gathered her things.

The corridor outside the library was as quiet and still as a night on the lake. Leah strolled toward the ladies room dreaming of her trip home with Severus, deep in thought…much too deep to notice the shadowy figure lingering in the doorway she just passed.

Once inside the empty ladies room, she made her way toward one of the stalls, setting her books down by one of the sinks along the way. Leah was straightening out her skirt and robe when she heard someone else come in. "Marian, is that you?" she called over the flush of the toilet.

Opening the stall door, she found Peena-lope glaring at her. "No, it's not Marian," Penelope taunted, sounding like Lucifer himself. "Seems we're all alone in here. Fancy a chat?"

Leah instinctively took out her wand, ready for what she was certain would come. "What is it you want to talk about?" Leah said, resisting the urge to use her rival's nickname.

"I think you know. I'm sure you've heard the rumors. Everyone heard Charlie yesterday at lunch, and you put on a nice performance, but we both know exactly what he was talking about."

"And?" Leah challenged.

"_And_ I would advise that you concentrate your efforts on Professor Shacklebolt."

Leah saw the vengeance and brimstone flashing in her eyes and knew that things were about to get dangerously out of hand; she decided to make an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Penelope, please, you don't understand. I really don't want you to get in trouble because of this. Your future isn't worth it. Surely you can see that. _No_ man is."

Tears of anger and frustration rimmed Penelope's eyes, and Leah wanted to cross the room and comfort her. But as she watched Penelope raise her wand, all sympathy vanished.

"_Sectumsempra_!" Penelope blasted at her.

Leah didn't even get a chance to fire off an Expelliarmus before she was hit with searing pain across her abdomen. She looked down to see crimson seeping through her robes, and she realized that if she didn't focus, she might not make it out of that gloomy bathroom.

Steadying herself, Leah cried out, "_Expelliarmus_!" as forcefully as she could in her weakened condition, but not before Penelope had fired off another Sectumsempra. This time she felt the same white hot pain across her arms and chest, her blood now beginning to seep into her scarf.

Leah was able to raise her wand only once more; leaning against the cold stone of the bathroom wall, she successfully stupefied Penelope before going into shock. Leah saw Penelope fall and heard the crack of her head against the stall door first, and then the stone floor; a shaft of moonlight streaming through the window illuminated a small trickle of blood running down her forehead.

Sliding down the wall, bleeding profusely, Leah clung to her wand with one hand and her scarf with the other. She thought of only one thing before she blacked out. Her dark horse.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Bit of a cliffie, eh? This chapter (and the next few) is one of my favorite sections of the story. :) So, I have finally posted the one shot, and you can find it under my profile listed as Felix and Kingsley. Leave me some reviews and let me know what you think. As always, a huge thank you to my readers and reviewers! -MK _


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

"Leah, sorry it took me so long. I ran into Gray and, well, we were busy for a few minutes," Marian called, peering around the corner into their bathroom. "Lee, are you here?" When she did not find Leah in their room, she slowly set her books down wondering where she might be. Marian hurried to the Gryffindor common room to see if anyone had seen her.

"Charlie," she tried to say calmly. "Have you seen Leah? She's not in our room. Didn't she say that's where was headed when she left the library?"

"She said she was going the bathroom first. Why? Something wrong?"

"She's not in our room, and I don't have a good feeling, that's all. I'm going to retrace my steps and see if I can find her. If she comes in here, will you ask her to stay put?"

Charlie nodded as Marian headed out the portrait hole in search of their friend. Something wasn't right, and Marian knew it.

She could see that the library was dark and locked as she approached the door. Turning to walk the length of the corridor, she remembered that there were two sets of bathrooms on the fourth floor, the prefect's bathroom that she had access to and the main bathroom that everyone used.

The corridor was eerily quiet as Marian opened the door to the main bathroom. "Lee? Are you in here? Hello?" Walking into the bathroom, she found much more than she bargained for.

"Leah!" she screamed, running past Penelope to her blood-soaked roommate. "Leah, can you hear me?" Marian asked, her voice desperate. Leah was lukewarm at best and Marian felt a weak pulse at her neck. "I don't want to leave you, Lee, but I've got to get help. Hold on!" Marian had no idea if either of them could hear her, but she couldn't stand the thought of Leah thinking she had been abandoned.

She sprinted down the corridor toward Professor Shacklebolt's office on the second floor; Headmistress McGonagall's office was there, too, but Marian didn't know the password and hoped it would be faster to find her head of house. He was, after all, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. _'Professor Shacklebolt will know what to do,'_ she told herself.

Kingsley looked up from his desk when he heard the pounding on his door and quickly called for them to enter. He noted the time. 8:40.

A disheveled and tear stained Marian came rushing in. "Professor Shacklebolt, Leah's hurt. It's bad. Come quickly," she pleaded.

"Where? What's happened?" he asked frantically, jumping up from his chair and running for the door with his robe billowing behind him. A pivotal question suddenly occurred to Kingsley. Did he love Leah? It was a question he could not answer; he didn't have time. Every second that passed put her in greater danger.

Marian explained as quickly as she could while they ran, gasping for air in between sentences. "She's covered in blood in the fourth floor bathroom. I don't know what happened. She left me in the library a few minutes before it closed…said she'd meet me back in our room. When I got back and she wasn't there…I had a bad feeling."

"So you retraced your steps and found her?" Kingsley panted as they tore through the castle.

Marian nodded. "It couldn't have happened before 8:00…but it's almost 9:00 now. She's bled a lot."

Opening the door to the bathroom, Professor Shacklebolt had the same reaction as Marian. Sheer terror. His eyes came upon Penelope first, laying stiff and unconscious in the moonlight, a fat trickle of blood snaking down her face and into her hair. Kingsley was unprepared for what he saw next; Marian told him that Leah had bled a lot, and he processed the information. However, standing before her now, trying desperately to take it in, Kingsley thought his heart would explode from the anger and grief he felt.

Leah's face looked deceptively peaceful as she lay on the floor in a sea of crimson, clutching her scarf and her wand. He ran to her and felt her pulse; it was weak, but thankfully, still there. Looking at Leah's wounds he knew exactly what spell had been used.

"Marian, run as fast as you can, and _don't come back without Professor Snape_. He knows everything about this particular spell and how to cure its effects. Tell him it's Sectumsempra. Hurry!" he commanded as Marian turned to run once again.

Reaching Professor Snape's office, Marian didn't bother to knock as she burst through the door and descended upon him, her panic evident.

"Miss Jennings," he said, surprised, fear beginning to rip through him. Something was very wrong, and seeing Leah's roommate, Severus knew it had to do with her.

"Come quickly…Professor Shacklebolt…sent me to get you," she panted.

"Leah?" he asked softly, barely able to utter her name, choked with dread.

"Yes. He said to tell you it was Sectumsempra, and that you'd know what to do."

Severus felt his robe pocket to make sure he had his wand as he swept Marian out the door and into the corridor. Marian was so panic-stricken and out of the breath that she hadn't noticed the mixture of horror and shame on Professor Snape's face at her statement.

Bursting through the door, Severus saw Kingsley cradling Leah in his arms, covered in blood.

"Hurry, Severus, you've got to stop the bleeding. Now! This is _your _spell and I don't know the full incantation to seal the wounds! If she doesn't survive…" Kingsley growled maliciously. "Marian, I need you to go and alert the Headmistress. The password to her office is 'meow'."

"Yes, Professor," she said hesitantly, still panting. She desperately wanted to stay by Leah's side, but the combination of Snape, Shacklebolt and a seriously injured Leah in the same room made for a rather awkward situation. Still, she lingered in the doorway; if they tore each other apart, there would be no one to help her roommate.

"Marian, I'll see to her, I swear it," Professor Snape said, trying to reassure her as he took Leah from Kingsley's arms and laid her on the floor, kneeling at her side, wand at the ready. Professor Shacklebolt nodded at Marian, and her footfalls echoed in the corridor once again.

While Kingsley looked on protectively, Severus began removing what he had to of her clothing to access her wounds. The angry gashes covering Leah from the waist up required immediate attention, and he knew it; all the same, Kingsley was sure she would not appreciate being left alone with the Potions master in such a compromising position in her unconscious state. In order to reach every cut, Severus had to magick most of Leah's clothing away from the waist up. She was left with only a thin bandeau around her breasts. Kingsley watched her abdomen, slick with blood, rising and falling with shallow, labored breaths.

Severus pushed all thoughts from his mind except those he needed to heal his angel, but he still found himself working to fight back the tears that threatened to escape his eyes. He traced his wand across the gashes, speaking the healing incantations to stop Leah's bleeding, praying that _she_ would not be the one to pay for his past mistakes. Severus worked as quickly as he could; he knew exactly how questionable Leah's state of undress would look to the Headmistress and Marian, and he hoped to finish in time to wrap her in his robe before they arrived. And he could have done without Kingsley breathing down his neck.

Still seething with anger at Severus, Kingsley was not sorry for what he said, but wasn't sure what to make of what he saw. The way Severus looked at Leah, ministered to her. His touch was that of a lover…but…no…no, he couldn't possibly! Kingsley exiled the thought. It was absurd, and he didn't have time to waste on something so ridiculous when there was work to be done. Surveying the situation, Kingsley was satisfied with the precautions Severus had taken to preserve what little modesty Leah had left, given the situation.

"I've got to get Penelope to the Hospital Wing. She's only been stupefied, but it looks like she hit her head pretty hard when she fell. I'll be back soon, and hopefully by then Poppy will be ready for Leah." Kingsley looked at Severus, somewhat relieved; what he saw told him that Severus would do all he could to save Leah.

Severus nodded, but did not speak, forcing himself to keep his mind fully on the task at hand. If he could not, he knew the consequences would be dire. Severus felt the full responsibility of her injuries, and it promised to crush him if she did not recover. He was incredibly grateful that, for the moment, Leah was unconscious; he wasn't sure he could bear seeing what lay in her eyes when she learned the truth behind what was done to her.

As he was sealing her last cut, Leah's eyelids fluttered momentarily and Severus heard her trying to speak. He felt her feeble attempt to sit up and immediately leaned down to her.

"…knew you would come…my dark horse never fails," Leah whispered in his ear, trying to smile, eyes closed. Even in shock, she recognized the comfort and familiarity of his scent, clean and reassuring.

Severus thought his heart would collapse from the combination of relief and guilt he felt; he wrapped her in his robe and pulled her as close as he could without putting any pressure on her wounds. Seated on the floor and leaning on the same wall Leah was backed against earlier, Severus cradled her in his arms and kissed her forehead protectively.

"Don't let me go," she pleaded hoarsely.

"Never," was all the reply he could manage.

Marian and Headmistress McGonagall came rushing into the bathroom a few moments later.

"How is she?" Minerva demanded. Severus could tell she was trying to keep up her game face; along with the floor, they were now both covered in Leah's blood and the sight had shaken her.

"She lost a great deal of blood, but her cuts are all sealed. I was waiting for you to arrive before moving her to the Hospital Wing," he said as calmly as he could, the quiver in his voice giving him away.

"I'm here. Are you ready?" Minerva inquired as Kingsley arrived. "Kingsley, thank you for your quick response. Is Miss Wilder alright?"

"She will be. Poppy is ready for Miss Manning."

"Severus, are you steady enough to carry her?" Minerva asked, recognizing his state. She had never in her life heard his voice falter as it had a moment ago.

"Yes, I have her."

Minerva noticed that Kingsley looked ready to step in and assist, but he would have ended up in a worse state than Leah if he had tried. She saw the protectiveness in Severus' eyes and knew he would tear anyone apart if they tried to take her from him arms.

As they made their grim procession through the silent, darkened corridors, Kingsley realized that Leah's vision had come true with startling accuracy. He had, in fact, carried someone through the darkened corridors to the Hospital Wing. With every step, Kingsley wanted more and more to take Leah from Severus' arms, but he recognized the cautionary look that Minerva gave him. Without a word, she told him that Leah belonged to Severus.

Madam Pomfrey was pacing at the door to the Hospital Wing when they arrived. "Severus, lay her over here," she said, directing him to one of the beds in the back.

He noticed Penelope in one of the beds near the door as they passed.

"I need everyone to wait outside while I assess her injuries," Madam Pomfrey instructed.

"Don't you think Severus should stay? You may need his expertise with this particular type of wound," Minerva suggested while Severus laid Leah on the cool, white sheets, smearing them with blood.

"Yes, you're right, Minerva. He should stay."

While they were waiting, Kingsley excused himself to go and check on the rest of his house. Rumors spread quickly at Hogwarts.

Marian was allowed to stay and wait with Minerva, and after what seemed like hours of silence between them, she asked, "Headmistress, Leah will be alright, won't she?"

"I cannot pretend that the situation is not incredibly serious, but yes, I think she will be fine. Professor Snape is quite skilled at healing the effects of this particular spell. It is fortunate that you found him so quickly."

Marian knew what she wanted to say, but hesitated. Minerva noticed and asked, "Do you have other concerns?"

"Professor Snape….he's…in love with her, isn't he?" Marian could not believe the words that just came out of her mouth. It was preposterous! She was Head Girl, and here she was embarrassing herself in front of the Headmistress. She wanted to dissolve into the floor.

Her agony was complete when Headmistress McGonagall answered her. "Yes, Miss Jennings. I believe he is. I feel comfortable sharing that with you because you seem to understand how serious it is. You are Leah's friend, and I hope that I can trust you not to betray her. You are also our Head Girl, and likewise, I expect you to keep this secret for me."

Marian felt the weight of adulthood and her responsibility bearing down on her as she answered. "I will not fail you, Headmistress. If you were Leah, I'd pinky swear on it with you." Marian wondered why she said that last part. "But you probably don't know…"

"I was a girl once, too, Miss Jennings, and I assure you, I made many pinky swears in my time," Headmistress McGonagall said with a uncharacteristic smile, holding up her pinky. "Good heavens! It is nearly 11:00. Marian, I am afraid I am going to have to send you back to your room to get some sleep. If I am not mistaken, you have exams tomorrow. Do you feel well enough to take them?"

"I think so."

"Go and get some rest, and if you feel differently in the morning, please let me know."

"I will. And I'll take our secret to the grave," Marian replied.

"I don't think you will have to take it quite that far," Headmistress McGonagall said enigmatically.

"What do you mean? Leah doesn't love _him_. Does she?!" Marian spluttered. Minerva watched while her Head Girl put the clues together that she had missed all term. "I can't believe I didn't see it before now. That's why she was so worried about the rumors. She didn't want him to get into trouble."

"Which ones? The rumors that he was losing his edge or the one that she slipped him a love potion at the Halloween Ball?" Headmistress McGonagall asked mischievously. "I may be the Headmistress, but I know what goes on here at this school. I have my spies."

"Yes, ma'am," Marian said, shaking her head in disbelief at the whole situation when she turned to go.

Minerva smiled to herself as she watched Marian walk away. Alone now, she marched back into the Hospital Wing to get a report on Leah's condition.

"Her wounds are all sealed, but she's lost too much blood. I can only do so much here. I am afraid I'm going to have to send her to St. Mungo's," Poppy said.

Severus nodded curtly at Minerva and immediately stood to take his beloved back into his arms. He approached the large fireplace and stepped inside carrying a barely conscious Leah.

"St. Mungo's," Severus said forcefully as Minerva threw the Floo powder down. He watched the green flames subside and stepped out of the fireplace into the hospital.

**Soundtrack Entry #24 – This Woman's Work – Kate Bush**


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Leah woke slowly to a sterile, white environment, and after blinking the stale crust of a long sleep from her eyes, she was more able to focus on her surroundings. She knew a hospital when she saw one, and felt grateful to be anywhere but on that godforsaken bathroom floor.

Looking down at her body, she saw only white. Suddenly, she remembered Severus there with her on the bathroom floor healing her, saving her. Leah turned her head toward the bright light streaming in the window and saw him, a stark contrast to the ethereal brightness of the hospital room.

Leah watched her dark horse as he slept in the uncomfortable hospital guest chair. Severus snored lightly with his head cocked at a strange angle, the bright, winter sunshine highlighting his dark hair and clothing.

She had no desire to wake him as he was most likely awake much of the night with her. Leah attempted to turn onto her side to lay more comfortably to watch him sleep; it proved more difficult than she expected and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning in pain. Finally, she was able to roll enough to turn and face him.

"You are supposed to be sleeping," she heard his exquisite voice say. Leah was overjoyed to hear it; she wanted to wrap herself in it's deep, rich warmth and curl up.

"What a night, huh? There I was, minding my own business and _Peena-lope_ shows up in the ladies room to teach me a lesson. She was much quicker on the draw than I was, as you can see, but I think you would have been proud. I got off a couple of spells on her."

Severus stood and walked over to the bed; it let out a squeak as he sat down, leaning back against the headboard and looking down at her. Leah maneuvered as much as she could, wincing in pain while he lifted her gently to lie against him.

"You don't have to be brave, Leah. There's no one here but us. I have been attacked before, ambushed, seriously injured, and I know how frightening it can be. The fear that you may die alone is a powerful thing," he said gravely.

Leah held on to Severus for dear life as she came undone. He was right, she _was_ trying to be brave. It was terrifying. He was right that night in the elevator on their date; Severus knew what she needed and he always delivered. She didn't usually want to hear it, but she knew that he would always be there for her, protecting her as best he could.

When her tears began to dry, he gently turned her face to his and said, "I am _so sorry_, angel."

"Why? It wasn't your fault. I would have bled to death without you."

"Then, you did not hear what Kingsley said. You don't know about the Sectumsempra spell." Severus wasn't sure whether he wished she already knew about it or whether he was glad that she would hear about it from him. Either way, he now had the devastating task of telling her that he was responsible for her pain.

She looked at him, puzzled, as he tried to explain. "Leah, this _is_ my fault. I should have kept a better eye on Penelope. You warned me that she was trouble, but I didn't believe it. And she never would have had that spell to use if—"

"Penelope is not _your fault_, and I don't care if you taught her that spell. _She_ owns her actions, not _you_."

"Please let me finish," he said quietly. The exhaustion of last night's ordeal was starting to take over, and Severus had to finish telling her before he lost his nerve. "I did not teach Penelope the Sectumsempra spell. It is Dark magic, not unforgivable, but still dark. I invented that spell when I was a student at Hogwarts. I don't know where she found it, as we certainly do not teach it to our students. I designed it for enemies, but Leah, I would give anything to take back creating it. If I could have seen…"

"Will you help me sit up, please?" Face to face, she said, "You know we're beyond what you did in the past. I love you, and I wouldn't be sitting here without you and what you did last night. But I do have one question, and then I don't want to talk about it any more. You asked me if I heard what Kingsley said last night. What did he say?"

"When I came in and saw you lying there nearly bleeding to death, it took me a moment to comprehend the situation, and he yelled for me to come and seal your wounds as it was _my spell_ and he wasn't familiar the healing incantation."

"He's just jealous because you got the girl."

_'Not yet. Not for real,'_ he thought as he watched her cover her mouth for a thorough yawn.

"You need to sleep, Leah. They've given you draughts to help heal and replenish you, but you need to rest in order for them to work. Let me go and get you another sleeping draught," Severus said while Leah pouted. "I'm going to stay with you until I have to go back to school later today. And Tonks is coming to see you this afternoon." He knew that would bring back her smile.

"Exams! I completely forgot! All I had left was Potions. Good thing."

"Yes, I hear the Potions master is quite affable. I feel sure he would let you take a make-up exam," Severus said with a devilish smile.

"I'm a lucky girl," Leah replied before her expression changed to one of concern. "I guess Marian knows what happened."

"She's the one who found you and ran for help. She brought Kingsley, and he sent her for me first, then Minerva. Penelope was still in the Hospital Wing when I brought you here last night, and I'm sure the whole school knows what happened by now."

"What will happen to Penelope? I tried to 'talk her down from the ledge' and keep her from attacking me, but you know what they say about a woman scorned."

"I don't know what will happen to her. She may be expelled. She's in my house, but something this serious is Minerva's call." Severus sighed in exasperation before hardening his features. "Now, cease your attempts to distract me, woman. I'll return in a moment." Leah smiled. She loved it when Severus tried to be stern with her.

Severus came back with the sleeping draught and assured her that it only worked for a few hours at a time, so she would have some time to visit with Tonks around lunchtime. Leah snuggled up next to him on the small bed and fell asleep, content in his arms.

* * *

Leah was awakened early that afternoon by a loud thunk and the slosh of water; she looked around and saw Tonks reaching for the plastic water pitcher that formerly resided on the bedside table. It was now on the floor in the middle of a large puddle. 

"Damn, I wanted some of that," Leah croaked. Like seeing Remus at Hogwarts, she underestimated how much she missed Tonks until she was there with her.

"Sorry! You alright? Do you want me to go get you some more water?"

"No, I'm teasing. I'm so glad you're here! Have you been here long?" Leah said, reaching out to take Tonks' hand.

"I got here a little later than expected, but Severus wouldn't leave you alone until I arrived. You two are so cute! I knew it would work out. It seems like years ago that we were all sitting in the Leaky Cauldron blowing your mind."

"I guess Remus gave you the full report when he got back from Hogwarts, then?"

"Yes, he hardly recognized Severus for all of your changes." Tonks' smile faded. "Leah, what happened last night?"

As she told Tonks the story of what transpired in the ladies room, she realized again how serious it was.

"Merlin's beard, Leah! Sectumsempra is a serious spell. You're lucky Severus was there. Not to make light of the situation, but it's kind of romantic," Tonks said dreamily. "Your knight in shining armor rescues you from a monster that he created."

"I know. Hot, huh?"

Tonks nodded. "Well, this day just gets better because I have a surprise for you. Molly heard from Charlie what happened, and she's going to drop by and see you later. I hope that's alright."

Leah couldn't have been more pleased; she was hoping to see Molly again before she left for Christmas, but her mind kept wandering to her Divination exam. So much depended on its outcome, and she needed to know if she would indeed be an apprentice in the Spring. "Tonks, do you think Minerva will come? Could I send her an owl?"

"Severus mentioned that she may be coming by later this evening to bring you some news. What are you waiting on?"

"My Divination grade. I need to know if I'll be an apprentice in the Spring or if I'll still have to be a student. I'm not sure I could handle that. I mean, I could handle the student bit, but Severus and I can't keep up this charade. It would be _bad _if we got caught."

"What do you mean _caught_?"

"You know exactly what I mean. He and I are well behaved apart, but together…" Leah trailed off for emphasis.

"Spontaneous combustion?" Tonks suggested. Leah tapped the tip of her nose in response.

* * *

Once again, Leah awoke to a noise in her room. Someone was coughing, deep and powerful. 

"Sorry," Kingsley said, after clearing his throat.

"S'alright. Is Tonks gone? What time is it?"

Kingsley nodded. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a little while. At least until Severus gets back later this evening. It's just after 5:00. Tonks mentioned that Molly was coming by, too, but I haven't seen her yet."

"I'm glad to be stuck with you, Kingsley, despite what you may think of me. We should probably talk."

"I think I get the picture. It was pretty clear last night. Do you _really_ fancy him?" Kingsley asked, still hopeful.

"Not _fancy_, Kingsley. _Love._ I am in love with Severus. I'm not sure how much you know, so stop me if you've heard this one before." Leah proceeded to tell the short version. She felt like she owed him the truth, especially if they were going to continue to be friends.

"So, you finally got through to him at Halloween?" Kingsley asked, howling with laughter.

Leah regarded him curiously, not sure what to make of his reaction. "What's so funny about Halloween?"

"I guess you'll have to name your firstborn after me, then." Leah continued to look perplexed as Kingsley spoke. "Alright, I have a confession to make. Do you solemnly swear never to tell anyone?"

"No. Depends on how good it is," Leah said, half kidding.

"Well, then I can't tell you, because it could have serious consequences that I did not consider at the time. You just looked so gorgeous that night, I couldn't resist."

"Fine, I'll bow to your demands, but I ask one concession. Can I tell Severus?" she asked impatiently.

"I guess so. Once I tell you, you'll understand why. But _only Severus_, promise?"

"Yes, yes, I promise. Now tell me before I have a heart attack and they have to move me to another unit!"

"Leah," Kingsley said, leaning in. "Do you remember at the Ball when I brought you the _glass of punch_?"

"You spiked it?! With what?" she asked as eagerly as a fat kid waiting on a corner slice of birthday cake.

"Felix Felicis. Severus would know all about it. It's a potion that brings luck to whoever drinks it. It's hard to come by and incredibly powerful. I had a small bottle and had talked myself out of using it, but when I saw you come down the stairs with Charlie that night, I knew I had to. You were so beautiful, and you'd never looked at me before the way you did that night. I figured it was my chance."

"Do you want to know why I looked at you that way at the Ball? Aside from the fact that you are a strikingly handsome man?"

Kingsley nodded his head slowly.

"Your costume. I love Phantom of the Opera…have ever since I was a kid. I could probably sing the entire Broadway show for you right now from memory. I've seen every version of the movie ever made, read the book, you get the picture. I know, it's really creepy," Leah said, looking mildly embarrassed.

"I don't think it's creepy, Leah. I wouldn't have dressed as the Phantom if I didn't think he was a fascinating character…and an easy costume," he confessed.

"So, you slipped me a mickey, but I don't get it. Why didn't yours work?"

"I was so distracted by you, that I didn't drink mine before I set my glass down when we danced that first time. After that, it was gone. It's a damn shame to waste a good dose of Felix."

"I drank mine, though, and was lucky."

"Yeah, it just wasn't _me_ you got lucky with," Kingsley teased.

"Well, I won't pretend that I'm not _really_ flattered. And I'm grateful to you for caring, for helping save my life and for still being my friend. You'll be thanking your lucky stars when you see how much trouble I am. Honest. I'm really high maintenance. Severus will probably be bitching and moaning in a week."

"We'll see," Kingsley said, interrupted by a knock at the door.

Leah saw Molly Weasley's smiling face peek around the door and flashed the same beaming smile back at her. "I'm so glad you came, Molly!"

"Leah, dear, how are you? Sore, I imagine, but we're all so glad you're safe!" Molly said, giving Leah a warm, but cautious hug. "I can't stay long. Fred and George are coming for dinner. They send their best. Sure you wouldn't be interested in one of mine? I already feel like you're a part of our family. How is _everything going _at school?" she said, trying unsuccessfully to be subtle.

"Molly, Kingsley knows. You don't have to talk in code."

"Did everyone know but me?" Kingsley asked.

Leah smiled kindly. "Not everyone. At first, it was only Minerva, Tonks and Remus. Then I met Molly in Diagon Alley and Tonks said we could trust her. Then Severus, of course, but he didn't know I was coming to Hogwarts until he saw me sitting on the stool being sorted."

"You _are_ diabolical. I'm starting to believe you about being high maintenance."

"I don't let go of something I want easily. Severus found that out the hard way," Leah said with a cocked eyebrow as Molly laughed. "Speaking of the devil, did he say if he was coming back tonight? And, you know, I haven't seen a doctor at all today. I wonder when I can get out of here."

"Your Healer came in and checked on you earlier while you were sleeping. She said you were recovering well and that you could possibly leave late tomorrow if you behaved. Severus will be back this evening. He had a few things to take care of at school, but I'm quite certain he will be back. If you could have seen the way he was with you last night – trust me, he'll be here soon."

"Kingsley," Leah said in a pained voice.

"Leah, don't worry. We're fine," he said quietly, reassuring her with as much of a smile as he could muster.

Molly recognized what was going on and decided to make her exit. "Well, I'd better be on my way. Got to get back to the Burrow and get dinner ready. Leah, your secret is still safe with me. I won't say a word until you tell me it's public knowledge. We're planning a party for New Years Eve at the Burrow, and we'd love to have you and Severus if you can come."

"I'll mention it to him. I'm dying to meet the rest of your clan! Thank you so much for coming – it means a lot to me," Leah said genuinely.

Shortly after Molly left, there was another knock at the door. "Miss Manning?" a musical voice called. Leah half expected to see its owner come through the door with little birdies on her shoulder and rabbits hopping at her feet.

She turned to see a tall, slender woman standing in the doorway wearing sapphire blue robes. She looked to be no older than Leah, and had an air of authority about her despite her youth. Her platinum hair seemed to glow in the darkening room. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better than when I first woke up this morning. When will I be able to leave?"

"First things first. My name is Agnes Gilliam, and I am your Healer. I have been in to see you several times, but you were always sleeping. The gentleman who brought you in last night did a superb job sealing your wounds. He was quite meticulous with your care."

"I'm lucky he was there," Leah replied, making a study of the woman's pale brown eyes.

"You're healing nicely, and I think we may release you some time tomorrow afternoon if your progress continues as expected. However, it is time _now_ for you to rest," the healer said, handing Leah another vial of sleeping draught.

Grudgingly, she drank it. "Healer Gilliam, allow me to introduce you to my friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt. He is our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."

Kingsley extended his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Healer Gilliam. Thank you for taking such good care of my friend here. She can be a bit obstreperous at times."

After releasing his hand, she said, "I can't speak to that charge. She's been sleeping quite peacefully for most of her time here. She seems to be behaving quite well so far, and hopefully she'll be asleep again soon, so I think I will make my exit. It was a pleasure to have met you Professor. Pleasant dreams, Miss Manning."

When she was gone with the door closed securely behind her, Leah let out a squeal of laughter. "Damn, you're a player! I'm not sure whether I should be offended or glad for your quick recovery."

"Don't hate the player, Leah, hate the game," Kingsley replied, sounding very Colt 45.

"Well, as a good friend once said to me at such a moment, _happy hunting_." Leah breathed a sigh of relief at the easy way their relationship was healing. "Not to change the subject, but what are you doing for Christmas?"

"I'll be spending it with my brother and his family here in London. He works for Gringott's. Alright now, enough talking or I'll have Severus on my back for keeping you awake. Sleep," he instructed, helping Leah lay back.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

Leah woke again late in the night to a shadowy room lit only by the city lights sparkling outside her window. Once more, the dark figure from her dreams was sitting by her bed. However, this time, he was awake and regarding her with what looked like awe. She met his eyes, but did not move.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Severus said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

The words rolled off his tongue as though he had practiced them a thousand times, and Leah was dumbfounded by his veracity. She lay frozen, quietly appraising him, communicating in silence. Leah knew that Severus loved her; she was sure of it ever since the storm at the lake, but she had underestimated her need to hear him say it. Simply knowing it had brought her a long way, but hearing him say the words was her ultimate reward.

"Again," she pleaded, desperate with joy.

"I love you, angel." Severus spoke with unwavering certainty, and it was more than Leah had ever dared hope for. Coming from a man like Severus, those words were more precious than salvation, and she unconsciously replied with the words her soul kept repeating.

"Thank you."

Moving for the first time since Leah opened her eyes, Severus reached forward and touched her cheek. She felt the slightest tremble in his hand as she took it in her own and brought it to her mouth to kiss his palm. "I love you, too," she said, pulling him onto the bed next to her.

"I see your strength is returning."

Leah's mind was still reeling from her dark horse's confession, but somehow she managed a reply. "Yes," she said, nodding her head. "How are _you_? I know this has been a long 24 hours for you. Why don't you lay down here with me and get some sleep? Let me look after you for a little while."

"That's very tempting, but before I forget, Minerva asked me to tell you that she was sorry she couldn't come today. The last day of the term required her presence. She and Marian will be coming to see you first thing in the morning for a short visit before Marian has to catch the Express home."

"So, I bet we were the talk of school today, huh? You, me and Penelope?"

"Mostly just you and Penelope. Evidently, girlfights are so lurid and exciting that no one has time to care about _what _was being fought over." He paused for a moment before saying, "Leah, Penelope was sent home today. Minerva decided that if she would attack you, she was capable of attacking anyone…and with something like Sectumsempra." Severus shook his head. "She was expelled."

Leah shook her head sadly and sighed. "If I had only been able to get through to her last night, but I guess the time for that had passed."

"You are not to blame, Leah. You yourself told me that Penelope alone owns her actions."

"I know. Let's not talk about it any more. How are Marian and Charlie?"

"You will be exceedingly proud of your Potions partner. He received the highest grade in the class on his exam, a perfect score," Severus said, feeling proud as well. "I spoke with Marian briefly to let her know you were doing well and resting comfortably. She decided to complete her exams today."

"I hope she did alright. So, she's coming in the morning with Aunt Minerva?"

"You know, you don't have to keep up with the Aunt Minerva premise with me."

"I know, but I feel like she's earned the title. She's taken care of me, and she helped me break through to you, didn't she? Well, actually, I learned today that Kingsley had a lot to do with my success, too."

"What do you mean?" Severus asked suspiciously. "I was jealous, but…"

"He spiked my drink at the Halloween Ball with Felix something or other. He confessed to me today when we talked, but he swore me to secrecy. He said you were the only one I could tell, as you seem to have benefited from it. You're not mad, are you?"

Severus threw his head back and began to laugh, quietly at first, then louder as Leah watched with a look of amusement. "I'm glad you're not angry."

"Felix Felicis. I probably should be, but I find it rather entertaining that Kingsley's scheme backfired on him…and to _my_ good fortune. Destiny is nothing if not determined." His memory jarred, Severus suddenly reached into his pocket and produced a letter.

"This is for you _from Trelawney_," he said significantly.

"Severus! I can't believe you've had this all along and are just now giving it to me! I've been on pins and needles," she said, carefully breaking the blue wax seal on the parchment. "Well, Professor, it looks like my days of torturing you with our charade are over. You are looking at the new Divination apprentice." Leah beamed with accomplishment.

"Most impressive," he said, offering her a reserved, but genuine smile. Beneath his controlled exterior, Severus was nearly bursting with pride – of her achievement, but mostly, he was proud that she was his. He thought it strange that a man who had done nothing his entire life but keep secrets would have such a strong desire to open the window and shout them to anyone willing to listen. He felt like Alice as things becoming curiouser and curiouser, but he had no intention of leaving Wonderland. Leah's words interrupted his reverie.

"Can I still call you Professor Snape?" she purred.

Severus nodded as he leaned forward capturing her with a kiss.

* * *

Severus and Leah slept soundly tangled in each other's limbs. Leah had a fleeting dream of her church at home and a small circle of people standing around she and Severus. She woke during the night, and remembering her dream, held her dark horse even closer.

The steely light of dawn had crept through the room some time earlier and the sun was now blazing through the window. It was bright and cheerful, welcoming the new day, but not powerful enough to rouse the couple entwined in the single hospital bed.

Severus stirred when he heard a firm knock at the door. Nearly stumbling with drowsiness, he straightened himself as best he could. He opened the door to admit Minerva and Marian, embarrassed to be awakened by his employer from a bed that he had been sharing with a former student.

Severus cleared his throat before greeting them. "Good morning, ladies. I think you will find our patient much recovered from the last time you saw her." He was pleasantly surprised to receive Minerva's approving smile.

"I see you were able to get some rest, too, Severus," Minerva said, shooting him a quick wink before descending upon Leah.

"I'm so glad to see you both," Leah said warmly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Marian, are you alright? I don't know how to thank you."

Marian sat on the bed and took Leah's hands. "What are friends for? Besides, Professor Snape really did most of the work." Marian gave the Headmistress a knowing smile.

"Leah, your roommate is quite astute. She guessed what was going on, and there is no longer any need for you and Severus keep up your charade with her, or with anyone else for that matter. I trust he gave you the news from Sybill."

Leah nodded enthusiastically.

Marian's knowing expression disappeared as she looked between her friend and the Headmistress in confusion.

"Mare, you are looking at the new Divination apprentice. When I return in the spring, I will no longer be a student," Leah said, hoping her roommate would be glad.

"Professor Manning?" Marian asked.

"Students will call her Mistress Manning, but I think she will prefer you to call her Leah," Minerva explained. "Severus, will you walk with me? I'd like a word with Leah's healer."

"Of course," Severus said, looking back at Leah as he left the room.

Leah knew that the months ahead would be a major adjustment for Severus. She knew his love for her outweighed any discomfort he might feel when their secret was out, but she knew it would be a trial for him, nonetheless.

Leah turned her attention to her roommate as the door closed. "Are you alright? I can only imagine how scary that whole mess was for you."

"I'm fine. I'm glad Snape knew what to do to help you. And you have some things to tell me, don't you?"

"Mare, I wanted to tell you from day one, but I hope you understand why I couldn't."

Marian nodded and listened in amazement as Leah gave her the PG-13 version of the story.

"So?" Leah asked when she was finished, not quite meeting Marian's eyes. "Do you still want to be my friend?"

"Of course I do, but Charlie's going to be gloating that he figured it out. You know he will."

"Thank God!" Leah said throwing her arms around her roommate.

Marian sighed. "It was really something to watch him with you the other night. I think he would have laid down next to you if you hadn't made it."

* * *

Leah heard voices outside the door as she came back to consciousness. "What time is it?" she asked sleepily as Severus came into her room.

"It's a quarter after three. You missed lunch. Would you like to get out of here?"

Leah shot up in bed, excited, and instantly regretted it. She swayed with dizziness as Severus sat down next to her.

"You'll have to behave and promise to rest if I take you to my house. Of course, we will need to go to school and pack your things first. You need to be well enough to make our flight on Monday."

"Oh, I promise not to leave your bed once we get to your house," Leah said, crossing her heart seductively and cutting her eyes at him.

"That's my girl. Let's get you ready to go. Marian left some clothes for you." Severus paused before saying, "I trust your talk went well."

"I don't think she thinks you're a git any more, if that's what you mean. She's happy for us."

Severus rolled his eyes, trying to look exasperated, but couldn't manage it; the curl at the corners of his mouth gave him away.

_**Soundtrack Entry #25 – When You Say You Love Me – Josh Groban  
**_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Well, there you have it. He finally dropped the L-bomb! Please review and let me know what you think...as always, thanks for reading! -MK_


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

Walking with Severus down to the dungeons Saturday evening from her room in Gryffindor tower, Leah felt like she was home. The stone walls and floors seemed to welcome her, and she had an overwhelming desire to curl up like a cat in front of Severus' fireplace.

"We can be on our way as soon as I pack my things. Leah, most of my time is usually spent here at Hogwarts, and my house is not nearly as impressive," he said.

"Severus, I don't care if your house is a one room shack. As long as we can be there together with no distractions, it will suit me just fine. I've seen a bachelor pad before, you know. I won't judge you based on your house."

Leah watched sleepily as Severus packed his things. He selected all of his garments, separating them into piles by type with black always at the bottom and other colors on top. The man was nothing if not detailed. Fascinating though his habits were, she soon dozed off curled under his black velvet coverlet.

Severus completed his packing, set their bags by the fireplace and shrunk them so that they all fit inside a single, weathered carpet bag. He turned to find Leah sound asleep in his bed and stole a few moments to simply sit and watch her. Leah's face was somewhat obscured by her hair, strewn across the pillow and down her cheek, but what he could see pleased him. Severus watched her form rise and fall with each breath, her fingers clutching the covers, enjoying the idea of her in his bed.

"Angel, I hate to wake you," she heard him say as she felt cool fingers pull her wild hair out of her face. "But everything is packed. Are you ready?" Taking a deep, long breath to rouse herself, Leah took Severus' hand and nodded.

"I have lightened our load significantly," he said, indicating the bag by the fireplace. "No need to worry, everything is there. It is all just much smaller now."

"If you say so," she replied, looking skeptical as he helped her up. "I'll need you to hold our things again if you don't mind."

Severus took a handful of powder from a shiny, black jar on the mantle and stepped into the fireplace with Leah just as he had at St. Mungo's. He took her hand and clearly spoke their destination, "Spinner's End."

Leah's world flew past in a rush of emerald green flames, and she looked out at her new location. Dark wood floors greeted her with their warmth, and Leah guessed from the walls lined with dark wooden bookshelves and books of varying colors and widths that they were in Severus' study.

Severus watched Leah while she examined the room. "Would you like a tour?"

Leah nodded, and he walked her through the small townhouse. It was two stories with a study, kitchen and bathroom on the bottom and two bedrooms and another bathroom upstairs. The same dark wood floors and paneling she noticed in the study followed her through the house. If someone had described the house to her, she would have thought it very dark and gloomy, but seeing it first hand, she found it comforting.

It felt like a retreat, a sanctuary, isolated from the problems and pressures of the outside world. Leah thought it suited Severus very well and imagined him there quite easily trying to escape his past with solitude.

As Severus restored their luggage to it's normal size, Leah watched him, saying, "I love this house. It suits you. I feel strong here, like I could weather any storm."

"I'm glad you think so. What is mine is yours, Leah. Tell me if there is anything I can get for you. I have rarely had guests, and I plan on taking special care of you."

"I certainly hope so, but first I would love a bath."

Leah examined herself in the mirror as she removed her clothing; she was relieved to see that her cuts were fading dramatically and she doubted that anyone would notice the marks on her arms within a few days. She did not want any questions from her family about them.

Severus returned with towels for her and winced, seeing her examine herself. A knife twisted inside him every time he thought of her wounds from his spell.

"Here you are," he said, handing her one of several dark green towels. "I don't think you will have any visible scars from the attack once you have healed completely. The wounds will look less angry with time."

Leah stood before him, bare, covered only with fading red slash marks, and she never felt safer in her life. She gave him a quick wink.

"Do you need any help?" he asked innocently as she stepped into the warm water.

_'You wish,'_ Leah thought. "Actually, would you help me wash my hair? I'm still pretty sore and I'm not sure I can manage it."

Severus removed his coat, knelt and began to unbutton his cuffs and roll up his sleeves.

"Oh, I don't think you can do a respectable job from out there. I'm afraid you're going to need to get in here with me," she said, reaching to unbutton his shirt. Leah was thankful that he had a rather large tub; luckily, there was _almost_ room for both of them.

Severus rested in the glory of his own bathtub, holding his Leah, and he was never more grateful to be alive. The warm water soothed his tired body; Leah's presence did the rest. With his arms enfolding her, Severus said, "I'm glad you required assistance. I can scarcely think of when I've been more content."

Leah traced a lazy pattern with her index finger through the water droplets on Severus' chest. "Neither can I," she sighed.

As they laid in silence, Severus thought about his plan for Sunday's activities. He had arranged for them to meet Tonks and Remus at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch and could hardly wait to see the surprise on her face when he told her. But that could wait until the morning; an evening this perfect rarely came along, and he decided to save his surprises for tomorrow.

Leah was out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, but Severus was not sleepy. He crept quietly to his trunk, pulled out his journal and went downstairs to the study.

* * *

**Severus' Journal**

Saturday, December 18, 2006  
10:23 pm

What will I say? How can I possibly put into words how much I need her? I know I will be awake all night rehearsing in my mind.

The ring itself is quite something. Remus was very helpful in assisting me yesterday, and I am beginning to value his friendship. It is bizarre when you realize that someone you thought was your enemy is not. I am acutely aware of the price I have paid for exiling myself from everyone, and I feel confident about the steps I am taking to rectify the situation.

I am glad, however, that I have lived a modest life until now as I have enough money to give Leah whatever her heart desires. She is worth every ounce of gold I have.

* * *

Severus got precious, little sleep and woke to the sound of Leah rummaging in her suitcase. He sat up and saw her standing at the foot of his bed in her long pink nightgown holding her robe. 

"Go back to sleep," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I was already awake," he lied.

"I was going to poke around your kitchen for some coffee. I'd kill for a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato."

"I have a French press. Are you familiar with them?"

"I've seen them, but I'm not a coffee snob. So…no. I'm more of a someone-else-makes-it-and-puts-whipped-cream-on-top coffee girl," she said, crawling across the bed toward him on all fours. "Are you a coffee snob?"

"I don't think so," he said, pulling her on top of him.

"Well, I like mine strong and dark. I think you've got the recipe for that."

As soon as she uttered the words, Leah had confirmation that she was a complete cheese ball, but no matter. Severus lapped up her corny line like a thirsty kitten. Coffee would have to wait.

* * *

Taking Severus' hand, Leah threw down the Floo powder just as she saw Severus do the day before. "The Leaky Cauldron," she shouted like a drill sergeant. 

Leah looked out at the familiar pub as she heard Severus trying to stifle a laugh. "A bit too forceful?"

"You are very entertaining."

"A girl does what she can, sire," Leah sassed as she curtseyed to him.

Severus led her across the room to the dingy booth where the Lupins were waiting. Leah greeted them warmly, hugging and kissing them both hello and watching out of the corner of her eye as Severus easily shook hands with Remus and bowed ever so slightly to Tonks.

"Do you think we'll run into any students here?" Leah asked as Severus put his hand on her thigh under the table.

"I doubt it. Although, there may be some here later this week doing their Christmas shopping," Tonks replied.

"Is there anything you need while we're here?" Severus asked Leah, hoping she would say no.

"I can't think of anything at the moment. We can always come when we get back after Christmas if we think of something. Unless there's something you'd like for Christmas that I can get for you?" As she spoke, Leah realized that she had not done any Christmas shopping; she knew she would have to get cracking once they arrived in Charleston to get gifts for her family. Severus, however, was a different story. She could see that he was going to be difficult to buy for.

"I have everything I need," he replied. Leah gave him a quick wink, surprised, but glad to see how relaxed he was around the Lupins.

Remus cleared his throat. "You seem to be recovering nicely. I can't tell you how worried we were when we got word. I'm sorry I couldn't come visit with Tonks the other day. Something came up, and I couldn't get away."

"That's sweet of you, Remus, but I understand. How are y'all?" Leah asked, smiling at the way her Southern accent came out, not noticing the delight that it gave Severus, too.

"Fine. No news to announce, if that's what you're asking," Remus answered intuitively.

"Never hurts to check," Leah said with a quick grin at each of them.

The two couples chatted as they ate a leisurely lunch, and Leah was again glad to see how easily Severus fit into the rhythm of the conversation. She gave his hand a quick squeeze when she and Tonks excused themselves to the ladies room.

"So, when are you coming back from the States?" Tonks asked, drying her hands.

"The Thursday after Christmas, I think. What are y'all doing for New Years?"

"Molly mentioned that she was having a party, so we may be at the Burrow."

"She mentioned it to me, too, but I may have to work on Severus a little. I'm not sure he's comfortable with facing _all_ of the Weasley's at once, especially after giving their kids hell all those years."

"I'm sure you could find _some_ way to convince him," Tonks replied.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Snaps to anyone who can find the movie line in this chapter. It's not HP...and sort-of obscure...MK_


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

Leah thoroughly enjoyed herself at lunch with Tonks and Remus, and she was surprised to find that she was not tired, but energized from the outing. Saying their goodbyes, Leah noticed Remus leaning in close and saying something quietly to Severus while they were shaking hands. She was overjoyed to see them getting along so well, but couldn't help wondering what they were talking about.

After Tonks and Remus Disapparated, Severus turned to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"Would you like to come somewhere with me?" he asked, a familiar fire burning in his eyes.

"Where?"

"I'm afraid that is a surprise. You'll have to trust me." Severus took her hands and seared her with the heat of his gaze. "Come away with me," he whispered.

That was all he had to say and Leah would blissfully abandon everything she knew. Those four words spoke more to her soul than anyone would ever know. Except him – he knew.

Severus heard her sing them in his dream and then again, for real, the night he watched her at the lake. He knew exactly what they meant to her.

Taking his proffered arm, Leah knew that she would follow him anywhere. He led her silently out the door and down the street toward the gray, stone church she ran to on a horrible, August day.

Opening the large door for her and looking inside, Severus was relieved to find it deserted. His manner was deceptively smooth for someone who was expecting his heart to explode at any moment; he wondered if hummingbird wings beat as quickly.

Neither had spoken since leaving The Leaky Cauldron, and Leah's mind was frenzied with what she hoped was about to happen.

Stopping at the familiar front pew, Severus indicated with a sweep of his hand that he would like her to be seated. He sat next to her in the same spot he occupied once before and took her hands. His eyes were alight with intensity, and Leah knew something significant was about to happen, for better or worse.

"I remember all too well what happened last time we sat here, Leah, and I need you to know that I would give anything to take back my cowardice that day. I sit here with you today a different man. I swear to you here and now that I will never take you for granted again. Thursday night, when I thought I might lose you…I…" Severus looked away, sighing heavily before meeting Leah's eyes again. "Without you, angel, all would be lost."

Leah watched him kneel down onto the floor of the pew with silent tears streaming down her face.

A tornado of words swirled violently in his head. Severus wanted to tell her that he loved her beyond reason, beyond passion, beyond eternity even, but found suddenly that he lacked the ability. He had navigated the first part of his over-planned declaration with moderate difficulty and was left with the effects. His throat was dry, his heart continued to pound, his hands were very nearly shaking, but for the first time, he was pleased to see Leah's tears. They were confirmation that he had accomplished his mission. Proud, but still shaken, Severus decided on the simplest course of action. He gave her a wisp of a smile, took a calming breath and offered Leah the keys to his kingdom.

Severus pulled a round, silver ring box from his pocket and opened it, revealing the ring that Leah had only imagined in her dreams. Cushioned in black velvet, sat a large round diamond in a thin, platinum bezel surrounded by brilliant, channel set rubies. The setting itself was graced by a subtly intricate design that supported and protected the stones without pretension. Modern Victorian. It reminded her of Severus, and she began to weep aloud when she saw it.

"Will you have me?" His question was understated, but gravely serious.

"Yes," she whispered, taking his face in her hands and kissing him thoroughly.

When Leah let go of him, Severus released a shuddered sigh and placed the ring on her finger, his relief beyond measure.

"The ring lives up to your imagination, then?" he asked quietly, reclaiming his seat next to her.

"Yes," she said in a breath, overwhelmed. "I've never told _anyone_ about it, Severus. It has only ever existed in my mind."

"I take great pleasure in making your fantasies real," he said, regaining his composure.

"Can we go back to your house now?"

"It is your house now, too, and yes, immediately."

* * *

Leah and Severus woke up late the following morning and had to rush getting ready to make their 9:30 flight. 

"How does it feel to have on your Muggle clothes again? Be honest," Leah asked as they were waiting for the taxi she had called from the phone booth up the street.

"Not that bad. I must admit that they're simple and sometimes less cumbersome than a robe." Severus sat in a brown leather club chair by the wall, thumbing through a book.

"I didn't like packing my wand," she said, pacing the room.

Severus nodded. "You feel vulnerable without it, don't you?"

"Yeah, especially after what happened last week. Although, I hope you're proud of me for getting off those two spells. Nothing hard core, but it was enough to stop her."

"You always make me proud, angel. Although, it is most unfortunate that I cannot brag to anyone about the talents you exhibited last night."

"That _is_ a shame, but we're in the same boat there. I guess it will just have to be our secret," Leah said, straddling his lap to face him.

"We'll miss our flight if you keep that up," he warned in chorus with the honk of the taxi out front.

The flight was uneventful, and they both slept most of the way, neither one noticing the turbulence or the baby who cried on and off throughout the flight. Since they had to change concourses in Atlanta to catch their final flight, they hardly had time to stop and think before boarding Delta flight 1590 to Charleston.

Once in the air, Severus felt the weight of the task before him. He now had to charm Leah's family, and unfortunately for him, he did not have a history of being charming.

"Are you nervous?" she asked as he looked heavily out the window at the clouds.

He nodded.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll handle everything. James is meeting us at the airport, and I've already enlisted his help as well as Brandon's. You just be yourself and everything will be fine."

"I'm not sure you understand, Leah. I have never done this type of thing before. Maybe you could give me some guidance about what your parents will expect," he asked, trying his best to hide his desperation.

"Well, they're both attorneys. Barristers. Look them in the eye. Give firm handshakes, no dead fish." Leah demonstrated the "dead fish" by giving Severus her limp hand to shake and watched as his lip curled into a disgusted expression. "I know. The dead fish sucks. You don't seem to intimidate easily, so you have that in your favor. If you're straightforward with them, you won't have any problems. It's the magic I'm concerned about. They'll either be fascinated or run screaming."

"A comforting thought," he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I love you," Leah said sweetly.

"Touché."

"Besides, I've got the ultimate weapon right here," Leah said, holding up her left hand and admiring her ring.

As Severus took her hand and laced his fingers with hers, a carrot-topped boy across the aisle made a gagging face at them.

"I believe your bag is on top in the compartment up there. Will you get your wand so I can blast him?" he whispered.

"Severus, if you whisper in my ear again, we're going to have to join the mile high club. Now, behave." Leah studied him for several moments, wondering for the first time if Severus wanted to have a family. It had always been of paramount importance to Leah, and she couldn't believe that this was the first time she considered it with regard to Severus.

"You're wondering if I want children, aren't you? Why don't you just ask me?" he said plainly.

Leah prepared herself for the worst. She closed her eyes, wincing, and asked slowly, "Do you want to have children?" Until he answered, she could hang onto her dream…just in case he said no.

"I have to say, the idea of progeny _does_ fascinate me." He answered as if he had given the matter great thought. "I _am_ an educator, you know. I have _some_ experience with children."

"Yes, but they're between the ages of 11 and 17. Babies are different. _Wonderful_," she said, closing her eyes and savoring the word. "But different. You can't exactly give them back if it doesn't work out. We don't have to talk about it now. I'm not ready yet anyway."

"Liar," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her neck.

"What did I just say about behaving?" Leah asked, her eyes rolling back with pleasure. Trying to distract him, she asked, "When do you want to get married?"

"That depends on what _you_ want. Remus said he thought you would probably want a large wedding, but your mind has not given me any clues as to what you would like. So, I need you to tell me. I want to make your dreams a reality."

"Who says stuff like that? Are you real? We may have to have a quickie right here." She thought for a moment before saying seriously, "I want to go back to school as Mrs. Snape. Charlie called me Mrs. Snape the day before Peena-lope jumped me, teasing me after he announced to everyone in the Great Hall that you were in love with me. I had to play it off, of course, but it was hard. I wanted it so badly."

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to stroll back into the Great Hall with you on my arm and your ring on my finger. Would you like to be married before Christmas or after?"

"Before, if you wouldn't mind. That way, Carmen and Dahlia can be there. They'll both be in town this week. Christmas is a week from today, so how about this Saturday, the 23rd? Just a small ceremony at my church, my family, James, Carmen and Dahlia. Could we have another one in England when we get back? I hate that we can't get everyone in one place."

"I know. I would like your family to see Hogwarts. I would rather be married there than anywhere else, but they wouldn't be able to see it. You learned about the enchantments on the school preventing Muggles from seeing it, I imagine?"

Leah nodded, equally disappointed that her family and friends would never be able to see the place she loved so much. "_Can_ we be married there? Has anyone ever done it before?"

"Not that I can recall, but the school has a long history. Surely we would not be the first. I will speak with Minerva about it, and I'm sure she will give us her blessing if that is what you would like."

"I'd like it very much, but hold on. Let's back it up for a minute. You talked with Remus about our wedding? When?" she demanded.

A devilish smile spread across Severus' face. "I contacted him and asked for his assistance in purchasing your ring shortly after Minerva informed them about the attack. He was unable to visit you in the hospital because he was with me. He and Tonks knew that I would be proposing to you sometime after lunch yesterday. I imagine it was rather difficult for them to keep their secret during our lunch, but luckily, they turned in a spectacular performance."

"That's what he was whispering to you about just before they left. They're good," Leah said, her eyes wide. "Let's try to see them before we head back to school. I owe them so much, and I can't wait to show Tonks the ring. She didn't see it before I did, did she?"

"No, just Remus. And we _will_ be seeing them when we get back. They'll be at Molly's party at the Burrow."

"So, you want to go?" Leah asked excitedly. "I was going to wait and mention it to you later when I had you in a compromising position. I thought I might have to resort to bribery to get you there."

"That sounds quite enjoyable, but I knew you would want to go, and I had already accepted my fate. Besides, I will enjoy showing off _my wife_ to everyone."

Leah beamed. "I know crowds aren't your thing, darling, and I appreciate it. I'll want to show you off as well. I can hardly wait to meet Molly's other kids, but I can pretty much guarantee you that Fred, George and Charlie will be speechless. You'll definitely be playing the trump card on them all."

"A tempting thought," Severus purred.

_**Soundtrack Entry #26 – The Distance - Cake  
**_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter...leave me a review and let me know what you think. I'm really curious! I especially like the soundtrack entry for this one...kind of off-beat, I know, but I was trying to picture it from Severus' point of view. -MK**  
**_


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

Stepping through the doorway into the terminal, Leah's eyes immediately fell upon James and she ran to him with outstretched arms. His face lit up when he noticed her and he reached for her as well. Severus straightened his shoulders, mildly jealous of their closeness, and followed with their carry-on, navigating through the dawdling crowd. It still caught him off guard how exuberant Leah was with those she loved.

Releasing James from an enthusiastic embrace, Leah turned to Severus and excused herself to the ladies room. She knew he would want privacy to talk with James, as much as the airport would allow.

Severus watched in amazement, trying to hide his relief as James smiled at him with unflinching forgiveness. There were few people in the world that Severus would have called friend, but this man was one of them; he owed James a great deal after the faith he had shown in him following his abrupt and childish departure.

"Hello, James."

James saw that Severus needed to hang on to as much decorum as possible. "Severus, I'm so pleased to see you," he said with reserve. "I am glad to see that you and Leah worked everything out."

"It would never have happened without your help. Leah tells me that you are not angry with me, even though you have every right to be," Severus said, putting up his hand to silence James. "Please let me say this. I hope that you will accept my most sincere apology for my behavior. I have few real friends, and I do not wish to lose your good favor."

"OK, OK. Enough groveling," James teased, trying to lighten the mood. "I understand why you did what you did, and I'm just happy it all worked out. It's wonderful to see you two together."

Severus was relieved that he was able to say what he needed to James with a minimum of embarrassment. He respected the way James was always able to put him at ease with his kindness and hospitality. Maybe those things _did _serve a purpose.

James turned at the sound of his name. "Brandon! I'm glad you made it. Leah will be back any minute," he said, inclining his head in the direction of the ladies room. "I'd like to introduce you to your future _brother in law_."

Severus froze as the words sank in; James must have noticed Leah's ring. On automatic pilot, he extended his hand in a manly gesture to Leah's brother, and Brandon returned the handshake with all of the authority he could summon. He was the first member of the family to meet Severus, and he wanted to convey their power and protection of his sister. It was evident from his sister's letter that she was in love and in need of his help to convince the rest of their family, but Brandon was wary. So, this was the older man Ben told him about.

James took a step back from Severus when he introduced Brandon and watched the scene before him with an analytical gaze. Both men were respectful, but neither Severus nor Brandon smiled until they heard Leah's squeal.

The contact between them was immediately broken as Leah clamped onto her brother with a ferocious hug. She was overjoyed to see family, and Severus could almost feel the felicity surrounding her.

"I see you've met Severus," she said, flashing both of them a smile.

"Yeah, sorry I was late. I got stuck at work longer than I expected," Brandon said. He watched Severus with her and immediately sensed his need to protect her; there was no other interpretation for his body language. Severus' hand rested at the small of her back, pulling her close to him almost without effort.

Brandon was more protective of his sister than his younger brothers were, sometimes a little _over_protective, as she loved to point out. He felt the same thing radiating from this stranger toward his only sister, and it allowed him to breathe a little easier.

"Shall we collect the luggage?" Severus asked.

Leah nodded. "And then I thought we could all go somewhere and have a bite before we go to Mom and Dad's."

Leah's letter to Brandon told him that she would be arriving with Severus and when to meet them. It also asked for his help with making her parents understand, but said nothing of her engagement. Brandon wondered if the ring was the only thing Leah had up her sleeve.

Brandon and James left to get their cars, and in a few minutes, pulled up outside to collect their passengers and the luggage.

"Severus, why don't you ride with me?" Brandon asked.

Severus nodded and walked toward Brandon's large blue pick-up truck. Leah gave her brother a "play nice" look in warning before James closed the passenger door for her.

"James, drive fast. I don't want them killing each other before dinner."

"Have some faith. I have a feeling that everything will be fine."

"I think so, too, but there's way too much testosterone in that truck, and it makes me nervous." Leah paused and looked over at him. "James, I missed you so much. Thank you for everything you've done."

"I was glad to help. Your parents are going to be _really_ excited to see you. They've been worried about you. Are you sure it was a good idea to make your visit a surprise?"

"God, I hope so. I know they need to know what's going on and I intend to tell them everything. _Everything._ Want to see my wand?" she asked devilishly.

James nodded and she bent over into the back seat, rifling around in her bag and pulling out her beloved wand.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" she asked, lovingly regarding the rubicund wood.

"You're fully aware of how phallic this moment is, right?"

"Yes, but at least I'm not referring to _Severus'_ wand. Although, it _is_ quite magnificent," she replied with a cocked eyebrow.

"OK, that's enough, and if I were you, I wouldn't refer to Severus' _wand_ in front of your family, if you know what I mean."

"Alright, decency patrol, I'll control my double entendres."

* * *

In the blue truck ahead, Severus began the conversation. "I can only imagine how worried you and your family must have been when Leah called from London." 

"They're alright now that they've gotten used to it. Not that we had any choice in the matter. Since Leah is wearing your ring, I imagine you're familiar with how she operates."

"I am. She is rather impetuous," Severus said, wondering how much to reveal.

"You love her very much, don't you?" Brandon asked seriously, and Severus somehow managed to keep himself from stuttering in the wake.

"I do." Severus was not used to openly displaying or conveying emotions, and he was glad of Brandon's perspicacity.

Brandon nodded. "I could tell. You look at her just like Ben used to. I believe you met him briefly at the lake."

"Yes," Severus said, trying to suppress his sneer.

"He loved her…loves her," Brandon said, shaking his head. "_I_ could see it, but _he_ didn't realize it until too late. Ben always had that same protective look you did in the airport. I like to see that. And it would be obvious to a blind man that Leah adores you."

"I am very fortunate. Do you think your parents will be able to see it as well? She has missed you and the rest of her family terribly, and I would prefer that she not face your parent's disapproval."

Brandon smiled. "Everything will be fine. We'll work out a strategy over dinner."

* * *

It was just after 8:00 when Brandon pulled out his cell phone and called his parents to inform them that he was bringing over a surprise. 

The front lights were on when Brandon stopped the truck in front of the Manning residence. Leah smiled when she noticed the evergreen wreath hanging on the front door. "Let's hit it," she said with a confident nod.

Leah took Severus' hand and gave it a squeeze as they approached the front door. "This will all be over soon. I love you," she whispered.

Severus gave her a look that echoed her sentiments and displayed a confidence he didn't feel. It was time for him to face the lions in their den.

Before Leah could open the door, Mrs. Manning came rushing out and nearly knocked Leah over with her frantic greeting. Severus wore a slight smile as he watched Leah reunite with her mother; for a moment, he let himself ache for the absence of his own mother. He was not used to being around families and hated to admit that they intimidated him.

"You must be the mystery man," Mrs. Manning said, a little sharper than she intended after releasing her daughter.

"Mom, I'd like to introduce you to Severus Snape," Brandon said, presenting the dark stranger to his mother.

"My fiancé," Leah added, putting her arm around his waist and presenting her left hand.

"Mrs. Manning, it is a pleasure to meet you," he said soberly, bowing slightly toward her.

"Call me Ginny. Fiancé, huh? Well, I see Leah made quick work of you."

"Mom!" Leah and Brandon cried in unison.

"Come on, let's go inside before she can embarrass us any further out here," Leah said, rolling her eyes and leading Severus into the house.

"I see where you get your forthrightness from," Severus whispered. He felt the daggers Mrs. Manning was staring into his back and tried his best to ignore them.

Ginny eyed Severus skeptically as Leah showed him inside. Catching Brandon's arm, she pulled him back through the threshold. "So?" she said intensely.

"So, everything is going to be fine, Mom. Trust me."

"I want to believe that, Brandon, but it scares me that she's engaged again so soon." Ginny knew that she had been rude to Severus. But what was she supposed to do? Embrace this stranger with open arms? She knew nothing about him, and her first impression told her that he and Leah were hiding something.

* * *

The familiar smell of her family's house wrapped around Leah and gave her courage as she entered the great room. She knew she was home when she saw the Christmas tree in the corner, decorated with the usual assortment of ornaments. There was everything from clothespin reindeer and various other kid-craft offerings to Waterford crystal snowflakes. The sublime and the ridiculous were nestled happily together on the branches, exactly as she liked it. 

"Hi, Dad!," Leah exclaimed. Her father dropped his book in shock, stood and embraced his daughter.

"Dad, this is Severus Snape, _my fiancé_."

"A pleasure, Mr. Manning," Severus said, shaking hands and looking him in the eye with what he hoped was the right mixture of humility and confidence.

Dave Manning surveyed the man before him and wondered if he was reading him correctly. He watched as Severus smiled subtly at his daughter and put his hand at the small of her back. What he saw shocked him; Leah did not look at Severus the way she had ever looked at any of the other suitors she had brought home. She was calm, radiant and content in her own skin. Dave was pleased, but still a little skeptical as they shook hands.

"Mom, I'm going to make a pot of coffee, OK? We all need to sit down and visit, and I could use the caffeine after that long flight," Leah said.

Leah returned to find Brandon and Severus at one end of the room talking about God knows what and her parents at the other end, looking expectant. They knew something big was coming.

Putting down her tray with coffee for everyone, she looked up at her parents. "I'm not pregnant, alright? So, you can stop worrying about that."

The look on Severus' face was priceless when Leah turned to regard him. "Sorry, darling, but I knew everyone was wondering."

Severus sighed, bewildered, as he took a seat on the sofa next to Leah.

"What was it you called her earlier? Impetuous?" Brandon asked, amused.

"I know y'all probably have a million questions for me _and_ for Severus, but before we get to that, there's something you need to know, something even I didn't know until recently." Leah felt like she might lose her nerve if she didn't tell them really soon, so she went for it. "Mom, Dad, Brand…I am a witch."

Leah looked out at her family and saw confusion on their faces. She heard the whistle of the bomb as it plummeted toward the ground and waited for the inevitable explosion and its subsequent mushroom cloud.

"So you're in a cult! What have you done to my daughter?!" Ginny exclaimed, jumping from her seat and accusing Severus. Dave quickly realized that they were on dangerous ground and put his hand on his wife's arm to keep her from doing something she would regret.

"Mom, I am _not_ in a cult. Listen to me. No…let me _show_ you. I had the same reaction when I found out, and I had to see it to believe it," she said calmly, trying to reassure her family as she reached into her jacket and pulled out her wand. The Mannings gasped audibly as though she had produced an Uzi.

"Just watch," she said with Severus nodding in encouragement. "_Avis_," she incanted, and the same opalescent nightingales she conjured the first time she held her wand flew from the tip and fluttered around the room before disappearing.

Her family didn't blink, nor did they say a word.

"_Accio spoon_." The sugar spoon from the coffee tray lifted and flew across the room into her free hand.

Leah turned and looked helplessly at Severus for further encouragement, as her family was still in shock. "Say something, y'all, _please_," she begged, on the verge of tears. The silence seemed to stretch on for miles, and when no reply came, Leah turned and ran from the house.

Severus stood to address Leah's parents and oldest brother when they heard the back door slam in her wake. He was impressed at the calm he was able to force upon himself. "There is nothing wrong with your daughter, and I assure you I have done nothing to her. She was born with her gifts, just as I was, just as all wizards and witches are. Yes, there are more of us. I do not mean to frighten you, but Leah needs you, desperately. She needs you to understand and accept her. She is still _your Leah_. If you will excuse me…"

Stepping outside into the chilly air, he heard sniffling coming from a darkened corner of the back yard. He noticed that Leah had climbed into a tree house, worn with age, situated in an enormous oak tree.

Leah felt relief when she looked over the edge and saw Severus climbing the rope ladder; he sat on the floor next to her and she collapsed into his embrace.

"What am I going to do now?" she pleaded, her voice cracking.

"You will not need to do anything, angel. Your family just needs time to adjust to the idea. Do you remember how hard it was when Tonks told _you_? They love you as I do. Everything will be alright."

Severus had to work hard to remain calm and comfort Leah; what he really wanted to do was whip out his wand and blast her family into next year. He was enraged at how they had treated her, but he knew that was not what she needed to see. Severus, instead, tried to focus on James' behavior and acceptance at the airport and how it made him feel. He wanted Leah to feel the same way.

"Don't let me go," she whispered.

"Never."

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Saw OotP last night at the Imax...so great! With regard to that, I post this note. I knew Kingsley would be in the movie, and I saw who was cast for his part a while back. And don't me wrong, I liked him in the movie, but I see my Kingsley differently. I didn't go into too much visual detail in the story other than re-stating the obvious, because I wanted his description to begin in the story and end in your mind. But let me tell you now how I picture Unbidden's Kingsley in my mind. He's a bit of a cross between Mr. Clean and Captain Morgan...strapping, athletic, mixed with a heavy dose of gentleman pirate. Obviously black, tall, the earring, the whole bit from the books, but for example, Unbidden's Kingsley would never wear a hat like that one he wears in OotP. And yes, I know he's Rowling's character, but when I wrote him I only had the short mentions of him in canon through HBP to go on, and I made him in the story as I saw him develop in my mind. _

_Dearest reader, please understand me. I am in no way trying to snub canon. JKR is an absolute genius. I would have none of this without her, and I bow humbly at her feet. _

_Hope everyone enjoys the movie as much as I did...already planning to go again! Severus was absolutely delicious. He can penetrate my mind anytime he likes. ;) _

_-MK_


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Severus left the Mannings stunned by his remarks. They knew they had behaved insensitively, but were still in shock at Leah's display.

"_That _is the man for Leah. I'll go. You two stay here," Dave said, shaking his head as he headed out the back door after them. He had a pretty good idea where his daughter was.

Standing under the eaves of the house, he heard nearly every word of Leah and Severus' conversation. Dave Manning was embarrassed by his behavior, and at the same time, relieved that his daughter had chosen wisely.

He cleared his throat to alert them to his presence and saw Leah's head poke out of the tree house doorway, looking down into the yard.

"Dad, were you eavesdropping?"

"Am I standing under the eaves?" he replied. "When you're ready, you can come down. We all have our wits about us now, and I'd like to have a word with Severus, if you don't mind."

Leah swallowed hard. "Down in a minute, Dad."

On the ground again, Leah touched Severus' cheek before going into the house and leaving them to talk alone.

Dave offered his hand to Severus once again. "Thank you for what you said to us in there and for what you said to her out here. Our behavior did not warrant such faith. I want you to know that you have my blessing. I know you will take good care of my daughter."

"I am relieved to hear it, as Leah will be. I regret that there was not an opportunity for me to seek your blessing before now."

"Come on, let's go back inside. It's cold out here," Dave said putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

Leah heard them come inside and looked anxiously at her father and her fiancé. "You don't need to look so worried, Leah. I just gave him our blessing."

Leah let out a loud sigh of relief and collapsed back against the couch cushions. "Do we have any Bailey's for this coffee? My nerves are shot."

Brandon was still seated, and he regarded Severus curiously. "So, you're a…"

"A wizard? Yes. I am the Potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your sister is soon to join me on our staff. She spent this past term as a student, but has been offered a post because of her special abilities."

"There's _more_? What abilities?" The question was on everyone's mind, but Brandon spoke first.

"I'm a Seer. It means that I can See the past and the future, things that may happen. I will be the new Divination apprentice in the Spring," Leah said proudly.

"Where's your crystal ball?" Brandon asked, laughing.

Leah pointed her wand at him playfully. "Back at school...I can ride a broom, too."

"We never had any doubt about that, honey," said her father.

"Ha, ha. So, since everyone's in such a good mood now, how would you feel about Severus and me getting married this week? I want to return to school as Mrs. Snape. Just a small ceremony, family, James, Carmen and Dahlia?"

"If that's what you want," Ginny said warmly, exhausted by the evening's ordeal. She regretted her earlier behavior and promised herself that she would enjoy this time with her daughter. It was too important to miss.

Leah nodded. "It is. Severus and I were thinking we could get married on Saturday. I'll call the church tomorrow and see if Reverend Ellis can do it."

Sitting with everyone in the great room, Severus felt strange; it was an odd sensation to be accepted as a part of the group. He answered many questions about magic, Hogwarts and wizards and witches. They talked late into the night and promised to keep Leah's secret. The story would be that she had decided to move to England to be with her husband, a professor, and that she was going to go back to school to get her teaching degree over there.

"So, I bet you'd like to stay in your own house, huh? Sleep in your own bed?" Brandon asked.

"That would be lovely," Leah sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. "But I know Jamie's renting the house. I can't just kick him out. James booked us a room at the hotel."

"Leah, _I_ kicked Jamie out and had the house cleaned for you. He's staying with me while you're here. Merry Christmas," Brandon said, holding up the keys and jingling them for effect.

"Jewels in your crown, Brandon," she said happily. "Thank you so much."

* * *

As Leah, Severus and Brandon walked to the truck, Ginny called out to them. "Severus, I need to talk with you for a moment before you go." 

Leah and Brandon stared at each other wondering what was to come while Severus walked back up onto the porch to speak with Mrs. Manning. They maneuvered as quietly as possible, taking advantage of the moonless, winter night, trying to hear anything they could.

"Severus, please let me apologize for my behavior this evening. As you will find, I am always rather forward, but not nearly as ugly as I was earlier. I see now why Leah has chosen you, and I never want for you to feel anything but welcome in our house and in our family."

Severus was completely caught off his guard; he was not used to being welcomed or accepting apologies. "I am not sure what to say, Mrs. Manning. I assure you that I will always do everything in my power to keep your daughter safe and happy. I do not have any close family and look forward to being with yours." He wasn't sure he meant the last part, but felt that it was the right thing to say.

"Please call me Ginny," she asked again with a watery smile. "Now, go on. You must be exhausted. I'll see you tomorrow."

Severus nodded and bowed slightly before he turned and walked back to the truck. Leah and Brandon stared at him in awe as he climbed in.

"Is something the matter?" Severus asked calmly, baiting them.

"Mom just apologized to you, didn't she?" Leah replied.

"You know the answer to that. I heard you two over by the shrubs."

"You're good," Brandon said, pulling away from the house.

"He was a spy in a former life," Leah said, giving Severus a quick wink.

* * *

Leah heard the faint click of the motion sensor light before it came on in the carport, and she enjoyed the familiar feel of her keys in her hand. 

"Oh! My baby! Brandon, has anyone driven her while I was gone? I totally forgot about her!" Leah said rushing over to take a look at her car.

"Honestly, Leah! It's just a car," her brother said, rolling his eyes. "And, yes, Jamie drove it some to run errands and keep the engine from locking up."

Severus watched Leah hurry over to her car and lovingly examine it as best she could in the dark. It seemed foolish to him that she would be so worried about a car, but he remembered how meticulous she was with it on their trip to the lake. It was one of the first things Leah bought on her own after she graduated from college. The car was a symbol of her independence, and that was something Severus understood.

She began to shiver while making her inspection, and Severus put his arm around her to keep the cold away as best he could. "It will still be here in the morning. Come inside and get warm," he said, his words a gentle caress against her ear.

Standing in the threshold, Leah asked ominously, "Do you enter freely of your own will?"

"Do I have any other choice, _Countess_?"

"Will you two give it a rest?" Brandon said, tapping his foot for emphasis. "It's cold out here!"

Severus wondered why everyone kept saying it was so cold when it couldn't have been less than 50 degrees outside. _'Cold must be a relative term here in the South,'_ he thought.

Stepping inside, Severus found himself in a small kitchen with warm maple cupboards and ghastly avocado green linoleum. He felt his lip curl.

"I know, it's hideous, but Rome wasn't built in a day. It kinda grows on you after a while," she said, noticing his pained look. "Come on, I'll show you the rest."

Leah's den was a rather large space for the overall size of the house, and Severus could tell that it was her favorite room. There was a large chambray sofa against the wall with several covers folded up and piled at one end, a plaid loveseat and a lime green, inflatable, plastic armchair. The walls were the same warm maple paneling as the kitchen cupboards, and they gave the room a cozy feel.

"Turn around. You're missing the best part!" she said emphatically. "Ta daaaaaa!"

Severus pivoted on the faded Oriental rug and saw the most horrid, garish thing he ever laid eyes on. One whole wall of Leah's den was taken up with an enormous television.

"Don't look at my TV like that! I expect a full apology when you get addicted to it," she said with absolute certainly.

"Exactly how long will it be before hell freezes over?"

"He's a bit of an elitist snob, in case you couldn't tell, Brandon," she said with a smirk.

"How long do you think it will take to bring him over to the dark side?" Brandon asked his sister, having no idea of the full implication of his words.

"Give me a day or so. A couple of movies and he'll be hooked," Leah said with an analytical gaze. "Dracula, maybe."

"Well, I've got work tomorrow," Brandon said, approaching Leah and giving her a sincere hug. "It's great to have you home. Sleep tight. Severus, good to have you with us."

"Thank you," he replied, surprised at how easily the words came. "I imagine we will see you soon."

Brandon nodded and made his exit, leaving them alone at last.

"I thought he would never leave," Leah said, putting her arms around Severus' neck and pulling him close. Standing alone with him in her den, the impact of what she had achieved hit her; she had broken down his defenses, gotten engaged, won her parents approval and made it back to her precious, little house.

"You're glad to be home," he said, taking her face in his hands. "I don't believe you have given me the _full_ tour."

"How observant of you, Professor. This way, please."

The focal point of Leah's bedroom was a dark cherry, rice bed that was much higher off the ground than Severus'. She sat on the edge with her legs wrapped around his waist while he stood facing her, studying her features in the dim light.

"I know you are exhausted, angel. We can go just go to sleep if you like," he offered, controlling his urge to tear the clothing from her body.

"That's not quite what I had in mind."

"_Excellent_. What was your plan?" he asked as Leah unbuttoned his shirt. Severus found it hard to concentrate on her answer while they were undressing one another.

"First, I would love a shower. Second, I want some lingerie. I didn't think it would be too appropriate at school, and I really missed wearing pretty things to bed. Third…I'll leave up to you. Surprise me."

"Hmmmm," Severus purred, before tracing her collarbone with the tip of his tongue and kissing hollow of her throat. "Why don't you get into the shower, and I'll join you in a moment."

Leah pulled some clean towels from the linen closet and made sure the house was locked up for the night while the shower steamed. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Severus rummaging in her closet and regarded him, clearly unsettled.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, reading her fear.

"Yes."

"Then, get in the shower. You will not be disappointed," he said hypnotically, his black eyes glittering with mischief.

Leah pushed aside her questions and stepped into the shower; it was heavenly. She gladly washed away the exhaustion and grime of the twelve-hour plane ride and the ordeal with her parents. Her eyes were closed as she washed the suds from her face, and she felt Severus' hands ease over the curve of her hips. She leaned back and melted against him, peaceful, yet alive with sensation. He was solid and strong as he supported her weight, the hot water beating down onto them both.

"God bless James," she sighed.

"Saint James," he replied, turning her to face him and pulling her close.

Reaching for her lavender soap without breaking eye contact, Leah said, "I think we should get down to business. I want my surprise."

* * *

Approaching the bed and allowing her scarlet silk robe to fall from her shoulders, she revealed a chiffon baby doll nightgown of the same hue. 

"I feel much better now," she said, continuing toward her dark horse, who was sitting on the bed clad only in a devilish smile.

He ran his fingers down her bare arms. "Yes, you do."

Leah settled herself on the bed and looked expectantly at Severus.

"Close your eyes."

Leah did as she was told and felt fabric slide across her face. Sneaking a quick peek, she recognized her black silk scarf being pulled taut over her eyes as Severus tied it in a knot just off center along the back of her head. A delicious chill ran down her spine, and a rush of air escaped her lungs.

She felt his breath at her ear as he whispered, "Do you still trust me?"

"Implicitly." Leah's answer came while she tried to guess his next move. Her blood simmered in anticipation, heating her skin and causing her heart to race when he gently laid her head back onto the pillow.

Her back arched involuntarily as Severus' fingers traced the outline of her body, her face, arms, torso and legs. Leah ached for his mouth. She wanted to feel him everywhere at once, and the velvet shackles of having to wait heightened her senses.

"Tease," she sighed as he meticulously kissed his way up her leg, knowing all the while what she desired.

"Don't be so sure," he growled over her rib cage. Severus was also close to his breaking point; taking her hands and pinning them above her head, he was suddenly upon her, covering her with his body – predator and prey.

Despite the darkness of her blindfold, Leah's world began to spin as her every need was satisfied. While she knew that Severus would never leave her wanting, she could not have imagined the freedom that came with such complete and total possession by a man.

Leah always prided herself on being in control. The men she chose necessitated it; she had never trusted any of them enough to let go completely. Severus, however, she trusted with her life, but until now, letting go of the reins had never crossed her mind. Every inch of Leah's body sang with pleasure as she found a savage kind of freedom in her submission.

Dizzy and disoriented after their release, Leah, once again, found herself trying to regain control. She reached for the scarf; she was hot and wanted the silk that was now sticking to her skin as a result of their exertions, off of her face.

"Not so fast. We're not finished," he chided.

Leah smiled at his prowess and let him guide her hands back down to the bed. She felt his weight shift off of her as he reached for something on the bedside table.

She heard a tiny clink only a moment before she felt the cool of the ice against her lips. Leah was suddenly parched, and as she parted her lips, she tried to catch the ice with her teeth. Instead, she caught Severus' fingers. The next thing she knew, he was upon her again, his tongue parting her lips and his fingers trailing the ice over her shoulder and down her arm.

"Payback is a bitch, you know," she said against his mouth. She felt his smile against her face as he removed her blindfold.

"I assure you, I can take _anything_ you can dish out, angel," Severus said, staring intently into her eyes. His hair was chaotic, tousled and sticking out every which way, but his face was the picture of satisfaction. He was sated and exceedingly pleased with himself.

"I missed your face," Leah said, tracing his brows with her index fingers.

"I am not sure anyone has ever said that to me before."

"I mean it. I waited so long, doubting you would ever arrive in the flesh, and now that you're here, I find myself studying your features when I look at you. Your eyes are fascinating. They change around people you trust. At school, when you were playing your usual role, they were cold and hard, impenetrable, but with me, I can see depth and fire. They pull me in. Carmen's big into eyes. She'll notice them."

"You don't need to play to my ego, Leah."

"I know. You have plenty for both of us," she said flatly.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

Leah glanced at the clock, barely conscious. 11:33. Ignoring the beaming winter sun outside, she began a study of Severus' face. She quickly determined that he was dreaming; his expression changed from one emotion to the next and he mumbled quietly. Leah could only make out one word.

He woke with a start to find her staring at him with a furrowed brow.

"Bad dream?"

After a cleansing breath, he answered her with a nod.

"Who were you calling a coward?"

"Someone called _me_ a coward, and I was disputing them." Reading the look on her face, he knew the time had come for him to tell her the details of what happened the night Albus died.

As Leah listened to the story, she saw the pain on Severus' face and found herself reaching for his hand to comfort him while he spoke.

"Harry Potter called you a coward?" she asked, incensed.

"No doubt, you have heard of him."

"He's a legend at school. I learned that pretty quickly hearing the other students mention him. And Remus mentioned him one time when he was talking about some friends who were killed. So, Harry is their son?"

"Their only child. Like many others, he was never able to get past my actions, even once the truth was revealed. I haven't seen him in several years, but I am certain he still hates me quite passionately."

"Want me to kick his ass?" Leah said seriously, trying to lighten the mood.

Severus laughed, caught off guard by her question. The sound was rich and warm in Leah's ears as she reached out to touch his face. He took her hand and kissed it.

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I can handle it. We _may_ see him at the Burrow."

"Why would he be _there_?" Leah asked.

"Molly's son, Ron, is his closest friend, and he has been involved on and off for years with Molly's daughter, Ginny."

"Had one of those one time. I mean, really, piss or get off the pot."

"That's my delicate, little flower," he said sarcastically. "And with that lovely thought, I believe it is time to get up. Why don't you call James and see if he would like to have a late lunch?"

"Good idea. I've got to call Carmen and Dahlia as well and fill them in."

Severus rolled his eyes at the thought of more auditions.

"_I saw that._ Don't worry, they'll love you," Leah said sweetly. "I've got to call the church, too."

* * *

The restaurant at the Jasmine Courtyard was busy that afternoon, full of visitors, holiday shoppers and a very loud table occupied by two men and three women. 

Severus wasn't sure whether he was annoyed at having to face both Carmen and Dahlia together or relieved that he could get it over with all at once. At least James was there; he had a way of always making everyone feel comfortable.

After ordering, the girls excused themselves to the ladies room. Leah was dying to know what they thought.

"So?" Leah asked intently, as soon as they turned the corner.

Carmen and Dahlia looked at each other, silently deciding who would speak first.

"Well, he certainly is into _you_," Dahlia said. "The voice is incredible, and that whole Goth thing he's got going on works nicely. It makes up for the age difference, although I know you like that. You always _did_ like older men. I definitely approve."

Leah breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Carmen.

"His eyes are his tell. When you introduced us in the lobby, he looked sort of guarded and harsh, but once we sat down, I saw him look over to you and his eyes softened. You have an obvious effect on him, Leah. He adores you. I second the motion."

"You guys aren't just telling me what I want to hear, are you?"

"Nope. Did you two have a nooner? You're all glowy," Dahlia said as she looked in the ladies room mirror. "You're not pregnant, are you!?"

Leah rolled her eyes and shook her head. "New subject. Want to go wedding dress shopping tomorrow with Mom and me? I may be having a small wedding, but I'm still a bride."

* * *

Severus and James stood when the ladies returned to the table. Severus eyed Leah to see if he had received the girls' approval. 

"You're in, darling," Leah said. "They both gave you the thumbs up."

"Thank you for your confidence," he said, making deliberate eye contact with each of them. "I promise to take good care of her."

"Good, because if you don't, you will not live to regret it," Carmen said, a thin smile covering her some of her intensity. Severus saw Dahlia's nonverbal reinforcement of Carmen's sentiments.

"I will not let you down," Severus said, caressing Leah's thigh under the table.

James decided to steer the conversation to a happier place. "So, Leah, what all is involved in this wedding? Did you get the church for Saturday?"

"Yes, Saturday at 5:00. Be there or be square."

"What a charming invitation," James drawled. Severus smirked, enjoying James' sarcasm.

"I can't believe Rob is going to miss it," Carmen said sadly. "His flight doesn't get in until 6:00 that night."

"No chance of an earlier flight, huh?" Leah asked.

"Nope. That was the only one he could get. They were all booked."

"Well, he'll just have to meet us as after at the restaurant. Mom's booked the upstairs room at The Flowering Peach for dinner afterward."

"Sean won't be there either. I'm meeting him back in Atlanta for New Years Eve, though," Dahlia said.

"I love New Years Eve, such a _sparkly_ evening," Leah replied significantly.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Sorry for the short chapter, but you probably noticed the first mention of Harry by name...funny how this one worked out to be the last one posted before DH is released? I'm sure you're all as psyched as I am about tomorrow night! Can't wait...I'll be inconsolable if Severus dies. _

_Ten points to your house for everyone who has been faithfully reading and reviewing! You are more appreciated than you know._

_-MK_


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

Leah and Severus spent the rest of the afternoon downtown shopping for gifts for friends and family. They wandered from shop to shop and even took a stroll through the crowded Market. Severus remembered why he liked Charleston. It was easy to feel at home. Charlestonians looked each other in the eye when they spoke; when they asked how you were, they genuinely wanted to know. Severus got the impression that they protected and took care of their own, and he relished the way that felt.

Charleston was artsy and embraced uniqueness. It was a comfortable fit for someone like Severus who enjoyed formality, but liked to go his own way. He was not surprised that his Leah came from such a place. The welcoming richness of Charleston seemed to spill from her, and she was an ambassador wherever she went.

Leah noticed the way Severus watched her enjoy herself. She strolled aimlessly looking at things she had no intention of buying and smiling at strangers.

She took his hand. "Is there anything you want to look at while we're down here?"

Severus shook his head casually in response.

"Do you want to go? I don't imagine shopping is your thing. I can come back tomorrow and wander by myself if you're bored."

"On the contrary, I have waited a very long time to wander with you. I am content to do whatever you like. I enjoy watching you. Do you realize that you smile at _everyone_?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. Second nature, I guess. That's what we do in the South, Severus," Leah said, putting her arm around him. "Come on, let's go get a praline and some coffee."

Severus followed her lead out of the Market and across the street. He had seen the pralines being made through the window of the candy shop on several of his walks, but had never tasted one; even though sweets were not his thing, he was curious.

"I take it from the look on your face that you have never had a praline before."

"No, but every time I passed this shop, it was crowded. They must be good."

"I don't think the pralines have a choice in the matter. Anything with that much butter and sugar couldn't be bad. It's like pure sin."

Leah laughed out loud at Severus' uncontrolled expression after tasting his first bite.

"Would you like a cigarette?" she sassed, noticing a bit of praline at the corner of his mouth and removing it for him nonchalantly with a kiss. "You know, I've gotten all of the gifts I set out to get today. Why don't we go home? We can order a pizza and watch some movies. Just the two of us, cozy in our pajamas."

"Do I get any say in the choice of movies?" he asked.

"Sure. We'll each pick one, how's that?"

"Fair enough," Severus replied, gathering the packages and heading toward the door.

* * *

"OK, what's your pick?" Leah asked eagerly.

Bringing his hand around from behind his back, Severus revealed "V for Vendetta."

"Nice. Here's mine," she said, holding out "Bram Stoker's Dracula" for his approval.

"I should have known."

Leah put in Dracula, turned out the lights and settled herself on the couch next to Severus. "I'm telling you, you are going to love this TV _and_ my surround sound."

"Famous last words," he replied.

Curled up on Leah's couch watching movies and eating pizza, Severus suddenly felt very domestic, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The elitist snob in him, scoffed at his low-brow choice of activity, but the hedonist in him reveled in it. Leah's couch was comfortable and her hospitality was warm. And to his surprise, he soon found himself engrossed in the movie. _'Maybe Muggles are not so ridiculous after all?'_

* * *

The following afternoon, Severus awoke to the sight of a very satisfied Leah standing over him. She had left him early that morning to meet her mother, Carmen and Dahlia for breakfast before going wedding dress shopping, and he decided to spend the day relaxing in the comfort and solitude of Leah's house.

Severus, however, had not heard her come in and was caught in the act. There were several remote controls strewn on the floor within reach of his hand, movies piled on the floor by the DVD player and an empty pizza box at the end of the couch.

"Let's hear it," she said expectantly.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are referring to," he said sleepily.

"Your apology. I believe _hell has frozen over_. You are stone cold busted!" Leah was incredibly amused. She sat down on edge of the couch next to Severus waiting patiently.

"I should have known that you would drag me down to your level, you Muggle seductress." Severus regarded her feeling somewhat in shock. First of all, how could he have stooped to engage in such an activity? Second, how could he have grown so lazy as to be caught? He was sure he would never hear the end of it.

"That's right, you better recognize," she said before her face softened. "It'll be our secret. Don't worry."

"I never do." he replied. Leah rolled her eyes.

"Will you do something for me, Severus?"

"It would seem that I have no choice now that you have me cornered."

"Please don't go messing around in my head until the wedding, OK? Mom bought me the _most _beautiful wedding dress today, and I _really_ want you to be surprised when you see me. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course," he said serenely. "Your mother did not have any reservations buying you a dress for our wedding? Is she comfortable with everything? By _everything_, I mean me."

Leah nodded. "You really impressed her. I think she respects you, and that's saying something. She doesn't respect very many people."

"What time is it?" Severus asked suddenly, disoriented after his day of movies and napping.

"Relax. We have a little while before it's time to head over there for dinner. Matt and Jamie are looking forward to meeting you. And I'm looking forward to some barbecue! I can't believe it's been almost four months since I've eaten any."

* * *

Dinner went well, and Severus was happy to have the last of his auditions over. He could tell that Matt and Jamie were surprised at he and Leah's age difference, and he noticed the harsh stare Leah gave them demanding acceptance. Fearing her wrath, they complied.

James joined them for dinner at Ginny's invitation, easily fitting in with the group. He had known Leah's family for almost as long as he had known Leah. Severus picked up on the kind way Ginny and Dave regarded him. James looked after their daughter and helped her through things that she never would have shared with them. They knew it, felt Leah's trust in James and gladly welcomed him as a part of their family. Severus felt the same welcome and it threatened to overwhelm him at times. It was unexpected, to say the least.

After dinner, everyone settled into the den for what Brandon affectionately referred to as "the show". Matt and Jamie were curious what Brandon was joking about, but they were unable to get any clues as to what it entailed. Leah and her parents had decided that they could not leave their two youngest sons out of the loop about their sister's talents; they would simply feel too betrayed when they found out later.

"So, what's this _show_ about?" Matt asked.

Leah leaned over, pulled up her pants leg and removed her wand from the safety of her sock. She looked up to see her parents and Brandon smiling warmly at her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to enjoy this.

Severus watched Matt and Jamie's mouths hang open in shock. James covered his surprise with politeness. He knew what was going to happen, but wasn't quite as prepared as he thought he was to actually see it. It was one thing to know about and talk about magic, but something different entirely to see Leah doing it.

"Pretty cool, huh?" she asked. James nodded enthusiastically in response.

Matt and Jamie turned to Brandon and their parents to see their reaction and found them proudly watching Leah.

"You didn't answer your sister," their father said calmly.

Leah chimed in. "It's a secret. You can't tell anyone. Brand and Mom and Dad have all agreed, but I wanted you to know. Are you impressed?" Her smile was hopeful.

"I guess, Lee. I mean…damn!" Matt exclaimed.

"Was that a good damn or a bad damn? It's hard for me to tell."

"A good damn, sorry. It's just a little overwhelming."

"I know. Oh! P.S., Severus is a wizard, too." Leah turned to her fiancé and gave him a sweet smile. "Sorry, darling. Didn't mean to leave you out."

"Not at all. I know this is a lot to take in, but your sister really is a very talented witch. She will be training as an apprentice when we return for the Spring term." Leah was grateful that he left out how untalented she was at his specialty.

After quite a few questions and demonstrations, Matt and Jamie were satisfied and agreed to keep Leah's secret, not that they had any choice in the matter…or the urge to brag about something that could cause them unwanted and rather uncomfortable attention.

As James was leaving, Severus pulled him aside on the porch.

"Yes," James said expectantly.

"James, I need to ask something of you, and I will understand if you don't feel comfortable doing it."

James guessed what was coming and had been hoping to be asked. He knew that he would see significantly less of Leah now that she was leaving to build a new life with Severus, and he was already beginning to miss her even though she hadn't left yet. Leah had grown into herself and become the formidable woman she was always meant to be in the shelter of his wing, and it warmed him to know that his friendship was valued equally. And that was saying nothing of his relationship with Severus. In an event so small, he was honored to be included and to fulfill such an important role.

"Would you stand up with me at the wedding and be my best man?" Severus asked.

"Gladly," James replied, resisting his urge to gush about how much he cared about them both. He knew it would make Severus uncomfortable. "I'll get out my tux."

"Thank you, James. It means a great deal to me _and _to Leah that you play a role in the ceremony. We would not be here without you."

* * *

**DON'T READ ANY FURTHER...**

**UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETED DEATHLY HALLOWS...**

**I MEAN IT...**

**THERE ARE SPOILERS IN MY NOTE BELOW...**

**SERIOUSLY...**

**THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE!**

**OK, HERE GOES...**

* * *

**Author's Note #2:** _I finished Deathly Hallows Sunday afternoon, and by the end, I was rather tear-stained and blotchy. I can hardly believe JKR did it! I re-read the end of Chapter 32 three times, thinking that surely I had misread it. And then, several pages later, I lost Remus and Tonks. Still, I held out hope that Leah's dark horse would somehow come back to us before the end. But he didn't, and as my Mom would say, we are all diminished by his passing. At least I am._

_I discovered HP pretty late in the game and wanted to take advantage of the release night craziness, since it would be my last opportunity. I went to Barnes & Noble Friday night with my best friend, Vitraille, to join in the festivities and collect my pre-ordered copy of DH proudly displaying my support of Slytherin House. HP, and Severus Snape in particular, led me to something that I would never have thought I had the courage or capacity for - writing creatively. Without knowing it, JK Rowling encouraged me down an unfamiliar path, and I thank her._

_I'm sure this all seems quite overly dramatic to some of you, but that's how I feel. A quote from Hamlet was my very first thought after it sunk in that our Potions master was really dead. "Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."_

_-MK_


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

Saturday morning dawned crisp and bright. Leah woke early on her wedding day, alone, but peaceful and ready to become a wife. Her groom spent the night at James' house at his insistence. Tradition was equally important to Severus, and he agreed to stay with his best man in order to keep from seeing his bride until the ceremony.

Leah donned her robe and padded onto her porch to sit in the chilly December air with a cup of tea. A relaxed wind blew, stirring her wind chimes enough to offer their gentle melody. Leah thought the only thing that could make the moment more perfect would be Severus there with her, and she smiled serenely at the thought of spending all of her early mornings with him.

Severus also woke early that morning. He lay in the familiar bed in James' guest room, his mind galloping with what was to come; by the time the sun set, he would be married, bound to another person. The thought was dizzying, but he found himself welcoming the buzz. Severus had found her, his Leah, his angel, and she had agreed to be his and his alone.

He felt like a child, navigating his way cautiously, but marveling at the nearly obscene beauty of the world around him. Leah had done that. She was responsible for the change in his vision. Before Severus met her, he did not realize that he had lived in grayscale; with her, his world was now in Technicolor. Leah came for him and gave him what he needed most, when he thought all hope was lost. A contented smile curled his lips when he pictured her in his mind's eye in flowing white robes wielding the flaming sword of truth. Strong, brave and elegant.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Leah asked, knowing the answer. 

The tears glittering in her mother's eyes were all the answer she needed. "I'm glad we sprung for the photographer," Ginny said before clearing her throat and straightening her shoulders.

"Me, too," Carmen and Dahlia said simultaneously.

"Me three," Leah said calmly as she heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Brandon. Can I come in?"

Ginny opened the door to the large bride's room at the church to let in her son, but said nothing, watching him closely. She wanted to see Brandon's reaction to his sister.

The sigh Brandon released said it all, and Leah was pleased at his approval.

"Severus wanted me to check on you and make sure you didn't need anything, but I see that you ladies have everything under control." Brandon winked at Leah as he approached her and hugged her cautiously. "He's a lucky man," Brandon whispered.

Brandon didn't need to say anything else; Leah reached for the tissues and dabbed at her eyes to preserve her make-up. "OK, now don't say anything else sweet until the pictures are over. Is Severus nervous?"

"Not bad. James is good at keeping things light, and Dad's being cool. No discussions on the meaning of life or anything"

"Good. Let's keep it that way. I don't want you guys freaking him out."

"Yes, ma'am." Leah couldn't be sure, but it looked like her brother threw her another wink, this one clumsy, before closing the door.

* * *

"Here," Brandon said, handing Severus a wad of tissues. "You're going to need these. I _almost_ did, and I'm not the one getting married." 

Severus took the offering and put it in his pocket, hoping that he wouldn't need them since he hoped to keep up his formal exterior today. If there was any ridiculous blubbering to be done, he would have to push it aside until later.

James indicated the doorway with a sweep of his hand. "I believe it's time. Dave, you will want to claim your daughter. Severus, shall we?"

Brandon, Matt and Jamie followed and took their seats in the front pew of the silent church while Severus and James took their places by Reverend Ellis, next to the altar.

The Circular Congregational Church was one of the oldest churches in the historic district. It's presence and location as one of the first meeting houses in the old walled city actually gave Meeting Street it's name. The sanctuary was, not surprisingly, round in shape and had bright white walls with dark wooden pews and floors. The front wall behind the altar was the same dark wood and a lovely contrast to the brightness of the surrounding walls, drawing the eye immediately to its richness.

The winter sun was preparing to set and lent little light. Still, the sanctuary blushed with the light of many candles; Severus and James had personally seen to it that every one of the church's candelabras was used for the small ceremony.

The organist began to play, and Severus found himself needing desperately to see his Leah, having no doubt that she was beyond beautiful. Brandon escorted Mrs. Manning down the aisle and seated himself next to her in the front pew with his two brothers. Carmen was next, then Dahlia, both proudly walking up the aisle in their black dresses, smiling at Leah's family and Severus and James.

Severus braced himself for what he was to see next. The seconds ticked away and seemed to yawn into hours while he waited for her to appear. Suddenly, he felt James' hand on his shoulder and was puzzled for moment as to why. Then he saw her.

Leah lived up to his name for her. Angel. She stood tall, regal and confident on her father's arm at the end of the aisle. Her ivory wedding gown was all that she alluded to and more than he could have ever expected.

Severus knew that James had seen it the day before at her fitting, but in the sanctuary, bathed in candlelight, he could tell that James was awestruck at the sight of her. Leah's gown was rather traditional, vintage even. It was a strapless princess style gown, with a sumptuous, sleeveless French Alencon lace overlay top and a full, ball skirt with a chapel length train. The crowning glory of the dress, however, was a black, double wrapped sash, encircling Leah's waist. The ties trailed gracefully down the left side of her dress as she proceeded toward him.

Severus was again reminded of his earlier vision of her, and in a moment of brilliance, the exact words to describe her came to him. _'Supporting heaven like a pillar.'_ Since the first moment they met, touched and fell, he felt her strength and grace. Now, she stood before him, embracing eternity, and the words were never more true. She had become the foundation of his brave new world.

Looking out from behind her blusher, Leah saw nothing but Severus, dashing in his solid black tux. At that moment, there was no one else in the sanctuary, in the world. Dave Manning lifted his daughter's veil and kissed her on the cheek before handing her over into Severus' keeping.

Leah took Severus' offered hand, lacing her fingers with his and knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Severus was never more handsome to her. She knew in her logical mind that his features were not traditionally handsome, but that had never mattered to her; he was worth infinitely more than the sum of his parts.

Leah loved his meticulous nature, his sometimes brutal honesty and especially, his reluctant vulnerability. He tried his best to hide it, but she was somehow always able to uncover and reassure it. Vibrantly aware, Leah savored the moment, surrounded by those closest to her, with the knowledge that all was well.

The traditional ceremony proceeded. Vows were taken and rings exchanged. When it was time for communion, Reverend Ellis asked everyone to come forward and stand in a circle around Leah and Severus. Bread and wine were distributed to the small wedding party first, and then to Leah and Severus. Leah took those precious moments to meet everyone's eyes and was strengthened by the love she found in them. She squeezed Severus' hand while Reverend Ellis prayed, blessing the couple.

"You may kiss your bride," Reverend Ellis said with quiet joy.

Severus forgot everyone surrounding him. He lifted Leah's veil, took her face in his hands and sealed their union, embracing eternity with her. Leah felt the bond in their kiss just as Severus did, and she welcomed it.

She heard someone sniff behind her and was surprised to find that it was not her mother. She turned to see James removing his handkerchief from his pocket. Leah stopped him, took both of his hands in hers and simply said, "Thank you."

Severus took a step forward and bowed slightly, silently echoing Leah's statement. James took a deep breath and nodded his acceptance, unable to speak.

Everyone realized that it was a significant moment and out of respect they waited a short time before breaking into applause and launching themselves at the couple.

* * *

The same limousines that delivered everyone to the church waited to take them to The Flowering Peach, with one addition. A carriage now waited for Leah and Severus along with the limousines. Severus removed his coat and put it around Leah's shoulders before helping her in, and she immediately laid back into his arms to take in his comforting scent. They were quiet as the carriage made its way out into the evening traffic. Night had fallen, and a clear sky revealed a sea of brilliant stars. 

"Well, you're stuck with me now," she teased, attempting to cover the intensity of the moment.

Severus turned her head to face him, warming her with his gaze. "That _was_ my plan in asking you to marry me."

"Severus," she said tracing his lips with her fingertips. "You have no idea the power you have over me, do you?"

"My Leah," he whispered into her palm, kissing it. "Nothing matters without you."

* * *

The Flowering Peach was situated in a stately old home in the historic district. The restaurant had been there for as long as Leah could remember and was a Charleston institution. Leah dined there with her friends before her high school prom, celebrated birthdays and many other special occasions there. 

The house was decorated for Christmas, and a blazing fire in the upstairs dining room anticipated their arrival. The large mahogany table was elegantly set for Leah and Severus' wedding supper. Crystal and silver glimmered in the firelight as they celebrated into the night.

Leah feasted with family and friends, nourished by their presence. She knew she would not be spending nearly as much time with them in the coming years as she had in the past, and she wanted to savor every moment she had with them. She watched everyone interact, especially the two couples in the room, her parents and Carmen and Rob; Leah noticed with clandestine glee how Carmen accepted a flute of champagne, but did not actually drink any.

After dinner, Brandon stood to make his family's toast. Leah overheard her father and brother discussing it earlier in the hallway and wondered how long she would be able to hold off her tears.

Brandon looked genially at Leah and Severus as he began to speak. "Tonight I welcome _yet another_ brother to our family. Severus, when I watch you with Leah, I can see on your face that you have found your way home. You will never be bored with my sister around," he said, smiling at Leah as everyone nodded in agreement. "As I said to Leah earlier this evening, you are an incredibly lucky man, but what I did not say to her was that she is also lucky to have found _her_ home, with you. If you will all please raise your glasses…to Severus and Leah, may the best day of your past be the worst day of your future."

Everyone drank as Severus helped Leah to her feet to embrace her brother. It was now Severus' turn to toast his bride, and he had thought long and hard about what he would say. He did not mind speaking in front of people, but these particular people made him nervous. Their opinion meant the world to Leah, and he desperately wanted their approval.

Standing and turning to face his small audience, Severus took Leah's hand in his. His words were for her and he wanted her to feel that she had his complete attention. She always would.

"I know that I am an unknown quantity to all of you here tonight, and I will take this opportunity to thank you for your faith in trusting me with your daughter, your sister and your friend," he said, looking around the room and meeting everyone's eyes before turning to face his bride. "Leah, a wise man once wrote that 'Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.' You know that I have lived most of my life behind such a mask, and I thank you for helping me to remove it. My heart is ever at your service."

Severus bowed humbly before her, brushing his lips across her hand in a gentle kiss, just as he had on the day of their first meeting. He forgot about everyone else in the room, focusing solely on Leah and her reaction to his words. Severus reached into his pocket for his handkerchief and gently wiped a few of her tears away before she took over the task. Raising his glass, Severus said reverently, "To my bride."

The ladies, and even some of the gentlemen, brushed away tears as everyone raised their glasses, toasting Leah while she gazed rapturously at Severus.

Mystic embers flickered in the hearth as eleven distinct chimes drifted through the house. Leah leaned in close to Severus and whispered, "I need to go. My husband will be expecting me soon."

"Indeed. You wouldn't want to keep him waiting."

Leah gave Severus a quick kiss before they stood to speak to everyone and say their goodbyes. She was talking with her parents at the door when Severus stopped behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Severus, my son meant what he said in his toast, we all consider you a part of our family now."

"Resistance is futile. There is no escape," Leah said with an arched eyebrow, turning to face her husband, her tone ominous.

"Severus, aside from Leah's teasing, we really do mean it. I consider you one of my own now," Ginny said, all business, hoping he had forgotten her behavior on the night they first met.

Severus wasn't sure what to say in such a surreal situation, so he replied as best he could. "I thank you."

"I love you guys," Leah said, hugging her parents. "We'll see y'all tomorrow night for Christmas Eve dinner." She smiled at them as she took Severus' hand and let him lead her down to the waiting limousine.

"I am glad we decided to spend the night at your house," Severus said with a sigh.

"It's your house now, too."

Severus smiled and pulled Leah into his arms, leaning back into the leather seat. They sat quietly surveying one another as the limo made its way across the bridge to Leah's house. There was much they wanted to say, but no words to contain it. Instead, Leah and Severus spoke, soul to soul, making silent promises deep within themselves.

Carrying his bride over the threshold, Severus was never more proud.

"I do not think I have told you how incredibly beautiful you are tonight, Mrs. Snape," he said, setting her gently down.

"I'm glad you think so. You are criminally handsome this evening as well. I have a job for you that I think you'll like."

"And what might that be?"

"I don't think I can get all of this off by myself, but I'm sure it won't be too much of a hardship for you to assist me."

"I would be only too happy to help," he said, running his finger along her jaw line. "Your dress is lovely, but I have very _simple_ taste. The _only_ thing I want to see you wearing tonight is your wedding ring."

_**Soundtrack Entry #27 – Something Good – The Sound of Music**_**  
**

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ The wise man Severus spoke of in his toast is American author, James Baldwin. The second part of Severus' toast belongs to William Shakespeare. **

** Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter 54! Now that the grief is not so near, I think that cardigrl is absolutely right in her review. Our Potions master is far too sly to have been killed so easily. Snape Lives! Say it with me...Snape Lives! Feels good, doesn't it? Snape Lives! Sounds like a battlecry to me. ;) -MK  
**


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

Presents were piled all around the tree, and the tempting smell of a baking turkey drifted through the house. Pine logs crackled and popped as Dave stirred up the fire to a gentle roar. It was Christmas morning, and the Manning household was a wonderful place to be.

"Lee, crank the AC! Dad's got the fire blazing again!" Brandon yelled down the hall at his sister.

"Roger that!" she hollered back.

Severus wondered to himself why a fire was needed when it was only 53 degrees outside. He and Leah were clearing the remaining breakfast dishes from the dining room table when she paused to adjust the thermostat.

Leah noticed the question in his eyes. "I know. It seems crazy, but it's Christmas. You can't have Christmas without a fire. At least, I can't."

"Whatever you say, dear," Severus replied, patting her on the head like a child.

"In the spirit of this joyous holiday, I am going to pretend that you didn't just pat me on the head like an imbecile." Leah tried to be annoyed with him, but couldn't manage it. "Merry Christmas, Severus."

He stared at her with an unreadable expression.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I am not used to so much family…and hugging…and holiday spirit, I guess. I'm fine as long as we're together," Severus said pulling her close in the quiet hallway.

"I know you're a bit of a Grinch, so just take it slow. We won't be singing Kumbaya or anything. You're in a testosterone rich environment."

"Alright, you guys. Hand check," Matt said, coming around the corner.

"Bite me. I'm a married woman now. I can grope all I want. We're legal," she said, smiling at Severus' discomfort. "I'm going to help Mom finish cleaning up so we can get to the presents. Why don't you go sit down in the den and relax? I'll be in there in a few minutes."

Severus was pleased to find that the Mannings did not rip into everything all at once. Leah had explained the schedule to him the night before; presents were opened in an orderly fashion after breakfast was cleaned up. "That way, Christmas lasts longer. It's not over in a flurry of wrapping paper in five minutes," Leah said. "Christmas only comes once a year, so Mom likes to make it last as long as possible."

He saw the logic in her argument. Only recently did Severus realize the pleasure to be found in savoring things, and he sensed how much Leah loved Christmas. Being alone for so many years, Severus never took much joy in the holidays apart from the students being away; he saw now what he had missed and why Leah took such pleasure in it.

Returning to the den, Severus saw his father-in-law getting ready to stir up the fire again. Dave grumbled under his breath as he reached for the poker.

"If Ginny and Leah didn't like this thing so much, I would never bother with it," he said quietly to Severus.

"I could take care of it if you like," he offered, pulling out his wand.

"Merry Christmas to _me_," Dave said, stepping back to allow Severus access. He absently flicked his wand at the fire, watching as it roared to life. Dave was clearly impressed while he settled back down with his newspaper.

"Does anyone want anything before we do presents? Hot cider? Severus, tea?" Leah asked, poking her head around the corner from the kitchen. Leah had a couple of takers and returned with a tray.

Everyone took their seats while Leah and Jamie distributed gifts from beneath the tree; once everyone was encircled with ridiculously large piles of presents, the opening began. For the most part, everyone took turns, and Severus soon realized that it would take up most of the afternoon.

Everything from sweaters to truffles to gift certificates was exchanged. Severus had never seen so many gifts in his life. There were many for him, despite his short time with them; he imagined that no one ever felt left out as a guest of the Mannings, and he was grateful for their kindness. He received an interesting assortment, including pralines, books and a completed photo album. The shots were mostly of Leah, but some included the family, too. There was everything from baby pictures to their wedding photos, and he enjoyed seeing so many aspects of his wife, some of which he knew would serve him well should he ever need to blackmail her.

From Leah, Severus received another photo album, this one empty with an inscription in dark green ink.

**To my husband on our first Christmas together, **

**When I think of all that we have already shared, I feel blessed and somewhat greedy asking for more. Yet I can hardly wait to fill this album with all of the adventures to come. There is so much ahead of us, and it is a heady feeling to know that I have you to share it with.**

**Your Own,  
Leah  
Christmas 2006**

Severus was beginning to feel overwhelmed again, and Leah recognized it. She knew that her gift meant the world to him and felt the emotion radiating from him. Giving him a knowing look, she turned everyone's focus to her mother, who was next in line to open a gift. Severus was relieved at his wife's intuition.

When it was her turn again, Leah picked up a small black box with a red ribbon from her pile and smiled at Severus.

"Merry Christmas," he purred, looking pleased with himself. He enjoyed hearing her gasp when she opened the small velvet box.

She immediately launched herself at him across the sofa, kissing him enthusiastically in front of God and everyone.

"Well, what is it?" Brandon asked impatiently.

Leah proudly passed around a generously sized pair of diamond and ruby earrings matching her engagement ring. Leah took out her pearl earrings and carefully set them aside in order to put on her new ones.

"What do you think?" Leah asked, pulling her hair back to reveal them.

"Nice bling, Lee." "They're lovely, sweetheart." "Very nice."

Everyone took a short break to get fresh drinks and a snack while Leah scurried to the nearest mirror. She saw Severus appear behind her and felt his arms wrap around her waist.

"What do you think?" she chirped.

"They are nothing compared to your smile."

Leah stared into his eyes in the mirror. "I love you, Severus."

"I love you, too. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Snape."

* * *

Climbing into bed on Christmas night, Leah turned to Severus and asked, "So, did my family completely freak you out today?" 

"Not _completely_. I was more overwhelmed by _you_. There are still times that the reality of _us_ catches me off guard, and there's no cure but to pull you close until it passes." Despite the seriousness of his confession, Severus was peaceful.

"I think that's healthy," Leah replied flippantly. "You may pull me close anytime you like. Membership has its advantages," she said, tapping his wedding ring.

"Indeed. And now, I have one more surprise for you." Severus handed her a small, lumpy package wrapped in brown paper and twine. "I made a quick detour to get this for you the day I bought your ring. You needed a new one, and I couldn't help myself."

Leah inspected the package carefully trying to guess what it was, unable to think of what she was lacking. Tearing the paper, she saw green wool spilling out. She gave Severus a suspicious, sideways look as she pulled the object from its confines.

Severus watched, looking sly while realization washed over his wife.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, incredulously holding up the Slytherin house scarf.

"You _are_ married to their Head of House. I'm afraid it comes with the territory. What is it you said to me after our wedding about your family? Resistance is futile? Welcome to _my_ family."

Leah knew she didn't have a leg to stand on. If this was what it meant to be Mrs. Snape, then, so be it. "Very well. Would you like me to wear it this evening? I have not forgotten our bet."

"I don't think so. Surprise me with it once we are back at school. I think it will be _more than appropriate_ once you take your place with me in Slytherin house."

Leah never once considered the ramifications of her alliance with regard to house loyalties, and she had to admit, it was quite a turn-on to cross over to the "dark side." She felt impish and a little bit dangerous.

"So, we can shack up in your rooms at school? I hadn't really thought about it."

"I imagine so, but we will need to speak with Minerva about it upon our return. She will be at the Burrow, but we probably should seek her out before then to see to any necessary arrangements."

"I can't wait to see the look on her face."

**Soundtrack Entry #28 – Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt**


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

Saying goodbye to her family was hard, but Leah held herself together surprisingly well. Severus squeezed her hand in his while the plane took off from their beloved Charleston. As the greens and blues faded away, Leah let herself shed a single tear.

"Would you like to summer here?" Severus asked quietly, sensing her loss.

"Do you mean it?" she asked.

"Of course I do. This is your home, and it is one of the few places other than Hogwarts that has ever put me at ease."

She took Severus' face in her hands and kissed him generously as the "Fasten Seat Belt" light blinked off.

* * *

After dropping off their bags at Spinner's End and freshening up, Leah and Severus made quick use of the floo network. She was thankful for his tenure and permission to floo in and out of the school; it made travel infinitely easier on them. The familiar green flames rushed past them as they stepped out of the fireplace into Severus' dungeon chambers. Leah felt a rush of excitement being back at Hogwarts, and she surveyed the room with fresh eyes. Married eyes. 

"Shall we?" Severus indicated the door with a sweep of his right hand as his left found its place at the small of Leah's back. The warmth of the gesture called to Leah, and she gladly followed his lead. They walked through a silent castle as the sun streamed through the windows.

Leah and Severus were quiet as they walked hand in hand. When they arrived at the entrance to Minerva's office, Leah stopped and turned to face her husband. She stared lovingly into the black depths of his eyes, losing and finding herself again and again. Severus brushed a stray lock from her face and pulled her into his arms. Nothing needed to be said, a silent prayer of thanksgiving coursing through them both.

"Meow," Leah said, after regaining her composure. The stairs appeared in their usual stunning fashion and the couple ascended, stopping at the door for Severus to knock.

They heard Minerva's familiar voice and entered to a pleasant smile from the Headmistress.

"Aunt Minerva," Leah said, rushing over to hug her. Severus followed at a leisurely pace and made his usual slight bow.

"You two look well. I trust you had a nice Christmas," Minerva said, her attention drawn to a sparkle at Leah's ear. "What lovely earrings, Leah. A gift?"

"Yes. Part of a set," she replied extending her left hand.

Minerva always seemed to know exactly what to say, and Severus enjoyed seeing her speechless. She looked over to Severus to see his sly smile as he extended his hand for her for her inspection.

"You have the pleasure of addressing Mr. and Mrs. Snape. Cat got your tongue?" he inquired.

Minerva pulled Leah into a thorough hug. "I knew you could do it," she said, beaming. "And _you_," Minerva said addressing Severus and trying to look stern, "good show."

All three looked up when they heard a throat being cleared over by the fireplace. "May I offer _my_ congratulations as well?" Albus asked.

Leah grabbed Severus' hand, dragging him as she rushed toward the portrait. "Albus, thank you! We would not be here without your efforts."

"It was a pleasure to have played my part."

Severus could hardly speak Albus' name before his voice cracked, giving away the surge of emotion he felt.

"I know, Severus. You did what I asked of you long ago without question, almost to your ruin, and with a duty so cruel, there was an unspoken debt to be paid. A promise inherent its fulfillment. I could do no other than help you find your destiny, your reward. Consider it my gift to you."

Severus held eye contact with Albus as he slowly bowed in reply, still unable to speak.

Leah gave her husband a moment to recover as she held tightly to his hand. When he glanced over at her and took a cleansing breath, she knew it was safe to speak again. Leah gave his hand a quick squeeze before saying, "So, Headmistress, we need to talk about living arrangements."

"Did you have something particular in mind?" Minerva asked.

"We weren't sure what the standard was. Would it be appropriate for us to take up residence in Severus' existing quarters near the Slytherin dormitories?"

"I think that would be very appropriate considering his role as Head of House. Although if you find yourselves too cramped, we could make other arrangements. Severus does not have to live in the dungeon to remain Head of House, if that is his intention," Minerva said, turning her attention to him.

"It is, indeed, my intention to retain my position in Slytherin House. I think Leah and I would be quite comfortable in my current quarters," he said glancing over at Leah for confirmation. She nodded in agreement.

"Good, that's settled," Leah said, all business. "Minerva, would you do us a favor? Would you not say anything to anyone until you make your beginning of term announcements? I know that you aren't a gossip, but we _really _want to surprise everyone with this. I know I'm dying to see the reactions, especially at the Burrow on New Years Eve, and I know Severus is, too."

"I think you'll fit right in with the Slytherins, Leah," Minerva replied with a wink. "I won't say anything until the feast, but word will definitely be out after the party at the Burrow on Sunday night. I am glad that I will be in attendance to witness your spectacle first hand."

* * *

That evening, Severus and Leah rushed through the flames once again to find themselves facing the Lupins in their living room. Leah had been looking forward to seeing her friends and surprising the couple with their news ever since her return to England the previous day. 

She flashed a beaming smile at Tonks and Remus before letting go of Severus' hand and launching herself at them.

"So? How was your holiday?" Remus asked significantly.

"And the Oscar goes to…Remus Lupin. I can't believe you knew and didn't say a word!" she exclaimed, turning to Tonks. "Did you know, too?"

Tonks nodded sheepishly. "I don't think Remus was supposed to tell, but I got angry at him for not coming to see you in St. Mungo's and he had no choice but to defend himself. Now, give me that hand!" Tonks gushed appropriately at Leah's ring, but as she was swooning, something stopped her. Her voice full of suspicion, she said, "Severus, let me see your hand."

He nodded and proudly extended his left hand for inspection as a satisfied smile turned the corners of his lips.

"Mrs.—Snape?" Remus stammered, joining the conversation. "You did more than just get engaged, I see."

"He didn't fight _too_ hard, and I'm _working on_ getting him trained," Leah teased.

"You have quite a task ahead of you, woman," Severus said plainly, "but I shall enjoy watching you _struggle_."

"I believe _succeed_ is what you _meant_ to say," Leah said, giving her husband a quick kiss before directing her attention back to the Lupins, who found the entire exchange very entertaining.

"And _I_ believe this calls for champagne," Remus said, suppressing his shock. He had, indeed, assisted Severus in purchasing the ring, but it was something altogether different to see them actually married. The man standing in his living room barely resembled the Severus Snape he knew for so many years. And yet, Remus could tell that at his core, he was still the same man, proud, stubborn and courageous.

"I'll help you, Remus," Leah said, linking arms with him as he walked toward the kitchen.

Alone with Severus, Tonks found herself gaping at him. She quickly closed her mouth, smiling at his behavior and at how happy he made Leah. "Severus, I hardly know what to say to you. I am _delighted_ for you and Leah."

"I owe you and Remus a great deal. If you had not intervened _and plotted_ with Minerva, I would have lost her. I am more grateful than you will ever know," Severus said before bowing forward to acknowledge her contributions.

"You don't have to be so formal! Come here," Tonks said as she pulled Severus to her and gave him a very real hug.

A few moments later, Leah and Remus came around the corner with saucers of champagne for everyone. Noticing the bewildered look on her husband's face, Leah asked, "Is everything OK?"

"I hope so. I hugged him a minute ago, and I think it threw him for a loop," Tonks said, trying not to laugh.

"Here, drink this. It'll help," Remus said, handing Severus his champagne and giving him a look that seemed to say it all. _'Women, can't live with 'em….'_

Leah rolled her eyes at Tonks as she handed her the other saucer of champagne. "He can be a bit prickly at times, but I think I'll keep him," she said winking at her husband.

* * *

Sunday afternoon, Leah and Severus gathered their things and began the process of assimilating her belongings with his as they unpacked in Severus' dungeon quarters at Hogwarts. It was lucky that she had only brought her luggage packed with clothing and toiletries. Leah liked Severus' chambers and his style, but she would have made a few changes if she'd had her druthers. As it was, she was blissfully happy to be Mrs. Snape and would have lived in a cardboard box if that was the only way to be with her husband. 

When she felt reasonably settled, Leah went in search of Professor Trelawney to see what she needed to do to help her with the beginning of the new term. She called out to her new boss as she climbed the silver ladder to the classroom. Hearing a muffled noise, Leah followed it to find find Professor Trelawney in the back of a deep closet organizing crystal balls, tea cups, boxes and piles and piles of books.

"There you are, dear. I expected to see you some time today."

"Yes, I planned on coming to see you earlier, but it took longer than I expected to get everything put away in my new quarters," Leah replied with a giddy smile. Sibyll knew why her new apprentice was smiling, but did not want to take away her pleasure at revealing her new marital status.

"I trust you had an enjoyable holiday?"

"Quite, Professor Trelawney," Leah replied, extending her left hand.

Sibyll smiled kindly as she took Leah's hand to examine her new jewelry. "Mistress Snape, I presume," she said slowly. "And please call me Sibyll. Years ago, when I Saw the events leading up to this, I wondered how I would feel about someone coming to take my place, and I was rather anxious about it all. But seeing you now, and knowing your abilities and all that you've accomplished, I could not be happier. You must make Severus very happy as well."

"I hope so. I think that like him, I am an _acquired taste_," Leah replied smiling impishly.

Leah assisted Sibyll with her re-organizing while they discussed plans for the coming term. She was glad to hear that her standard black robes would be appropriate for classes and that she could also wear the other three robes she had purchased from Madam Malkin when she purchased her school supplies. The lapis lazuli blue, plum and dark green robes had not even been unwrapped, as she had not had anywhere to wear them.

After their work and several cups of tea, it was almost 7:00, and Leah needed to excuse herself to get ready for the party at the Burrow. She brought her favorite black dress from home especially for New Years Eve and was looking forward to wearing it.

Before she was able to say anything, Sibyll announced, "Well, I think that's enough for today. It is New Years Eve and I am sure you have somewhere to be." Leah nodded in reply. "I think I will walk down with you to stretch my legs, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Pro—…Sibyll." Leah wondered what Sibyll's plans for the evening were, but didn't want to seem overly nosy with her new boss.

Passing the entrance to the Great Hall and walking toward the door leading to the dungeon, they happened upon Severus.

"Ah, there you are. I was just coming to make sure you hadn't lost track of time," he said, self conscious of his joy at seeing his wife. Severus had no desire to look like a schoolboy in front of Sibyll.

"Severus, felicitations on your marriage. I am quite looking forward to working with your wife this term."

"Thank you, Sibyll. I know Leah is pleased with her new position," he said, revealing the slightest of smiles. He was grateful to her for the role she played, but found it difficult to put into words.

"It's late, and I have to dig out my dress and shoes. Sibyll, I'll see you Tuesday morning to get started with our preparations?"

"Yes. Have a lovely evening," she said, wandering away in her usual fashion.

Severus took Leah's hand and pulled her into the stairwell to the dungeon, closing the door behind him. They were immediately upon one another, kissing and pulling at clothing.

"I missed you," Severus said as he pulled her hair to one side, burying his face in her neck and breathing in the familiar lavender scent.

"Me too, but it's really late. As much as I would love to have my way with you right here on the steps, I think we should get ready for the party. We can make love all night and all day tomorrow if you like. We don't even have to get out of bed until Tuesday, but if you want a trophy wife, she's going to need some extra time to get ready." Leah had a hard time getting her words out with Severus doing his best to distract her, but somehow, eventually, she persevered, and he had no choice but to agree. Tonight was their big reveal and he knew they both wanted to look the part.

"I _hate_ it when you're right," Severus said after catching his breath.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** I know, I know...the Burrow's coming! There are only four more chapters and the epilogue left...sniff, sniff. Thank you so very much to everyone who is reading and has stuck with the story this far! A extra special thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Keep 'em coming... -MK_


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58**

Leah was in the bathroom for an eternity, and Severus grew eminently restless waiting for her.

Standing at the bathroom door, he purred in his most seductive tone, "Leah, you were the most radiant woman I ever laid eyes on _before_ you went in there."

"Nice try, darling, using the voice and all, but I'm almost ready. Why don't you just come in?"

"I wouldn't want to ruin your veil of feminine mystique."

"OK, I think that's got it," Leah said as he heard the click of her heels approaching the door. "What do you think?"

Leah stood in the open doorway wearing a rather short black dress that gave the illusion of tying over her right shoulder, leaving her left shoulder bare. The simple cut of the dress caused the fabric to hang just right, clinging to her curves. Leah's hair was partially pinned up in an elaborate style that revealed her new earrings and made her look like an empress. Her bared skin seemed to shimmer, picking up the light here and there with the finest hint of silver dust.

"You do me honor, Leah. I will have to spend the rest of my life earning the gift of your beauty." Severus meant it. He couldn't think of a single thing he had ever done to deserve her.

Leah crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her husband. "I feel exactly the same...but let's just call it even and live a life of debauchery. It sounds _much_ more fun. We can begin as soon as we return from the party." She spoke slowly, her voice infused with wickedness.

"After you." Severus inclined his head toward the fireplace. "You know, I'll be glad when you learn to Apparate. It makes travel much simpler, and we won't have to keep brushing Floo powder off our shoes all the time."

Dressed in his standard black frock coat and trousers, his robe draped over his arm, he threw the Floo powder down at their feet and spoke the destination.

Leah stepped out of the fireplace at the Burrow, purposely bending over in a very unladylike fashion in front of Severus to brush off the tips of her black stilettos while he set down his robe in a nearby chair.

"On second thought, perhaps Apparation lessons can wait."

Molly heard them arrive and turned the corner just as Severus took Leah's hand. "Severus, Leah, I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Molly, can we talk with you for just a moment?" Leah asked quietly while Arthur Weasley approached them.

"Of course, dear. Is anything the matter?" Leah shook her head no, and Severus extended his hand to Molly's husband.

"Arthur, good evening. Would you join us?" Mr. Weasley didn't have the faintest idea what was going on or who the beautiful woman was on Severus' arm; Molly was true to her word and had not told a soul about their attachment.

"Certainly, as long as you introduce me to your companion."

"With pleasure. This is my _wife_, Leah. Darling, this is Molly's husband, Arthur."

Severus and Leah wore the same satisfied smile as Molly's hand clutched at her chest and Arthur's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Arthur, it's wonderful to finally meet you! I can't wait to meet the rest of your family. Well, actually, I've already met Fred and George and Charlie, so, whoever's left," she said, smiling brightly as she shook his hand with both of hers.

"So, you're the bird…the one Fred and George keep mentioning. I see now what the fuss was about. Welcome to the Burrow, Mrs. Snape. Fred and George will be quite surprised to see you, _especially with your spouse_." Arthur was beyond entertained and made no attempt to hide it.

"Yes, I imagine they will be. Your wife is an excellent secret keeper," Leah said, reaching out to show Molly her ring.

Molly and Leah giggled appropriately while Arthur walked with Severus to get drinks. It was now shortly after 8:00 and when Leah rejoined Severus, he was talking with Remus and Tonks in the garden. The Weasleys had a lovely garden with a large brick-floored terrace; lanterns hung in the trees above, offering a pastoral glow. Standing next to one of the benches on the edge of the terrace, Leah noted that for December 31st, it was exceptionally mild outside. She was not dressed in much more than a scrap, and yet, she was not cold.

'_Magic…_' she thought, mentally shrugging.

Leah was talking with Remus and Tonks when she heard Charlie Weasley's voice call her across the garden. Severus immediately turned at the sound of his wife being addressed by her maiden name.

"Shall we?" Severus asked, his black eyes sparkling as he offered his arm.

"You're going to enjoy this, aren't you?" she asked through a toothy smile.

Severus barely had time to nod before Charlie was upon them, looking curious.

"Charlie, perhaps I should re-introduce you to someone. Leah will be returning to school with a new title befitting her new position as the Divination apprentice…_and_ a new last name."

Leah thought that it must be a Weasley trait the way Charlie's eyes bulged out of his head just as his father's had.

"Merlin's toenails! I knew something was different about you, but…I should have guessed." Charlie congratulated them politely and quickly excused himself; he had to find out when Fred and George were arriving. As he walked away, Charlie thought what a pain in the arse Leah was and how he couldn't think of anyone who deserved her more.

"That was weird. I'm glad Hagrid will be back soon. Charlie is definitely my least favorite Weasley," Leah said when they were alone again. "He's even cockier than you are."

"Really? Why don't you take a little walk with me and you can lecture me all you want on my wicked ways."

Leah regarded him suspiciously, but agreed.

"Just let me grab my robe. I wouldn't want you to get cold," he said, turning toward the house.

As Severus walked away, she knew exactly what he had in mind; she noticed the robe earlier and wondered why he brought it. _'Very slick, Severus. Not even when the ladies leave the seat down.'_

Her dark horse returned looking smug. He wrapped his robe around her shoulders and extended his arm. Walking toward what was pointed out to Leah earlier as the orchard, she asked, "You think you're incredibly sly, don't you?"

"Don't _you_?"

A slivered moon smirked down through the trees, leaving the night cloaked in promise. After a leisurely walk, Leah leaned demurely back against an apple tree, and before she could challenge her dark horse about his backsliding ways, her mouth was otherwise occupied.

Severus reached inside the robe to appreciate his wife's curvy form while she unconsciously began the tedious process of unbuttoning his coat. Completing her task, Leah decided to liberate Severus from the confines of his trousers; she had never been shy with her husband before, and now was not the time to start.

She felt the hem of her skirt slowly rise to rest around her waist while she confirmed that Severus' need was every bit as urgent as hers. Quicker than a heartbeat, he tore Leah's black lace panties from her body and pressed himself against her.

"This was one of your _better_ ideas," she whispered, her breath teasing him and taking his need to a fevered pitch.

Leah pulled the edges of the robe around his shoulders to shelter them both as he lifted her to his waist. She wrapped her legs around him, never once breaking eye contact; her fingers tangled in Severus' hair and urged his mouth toward hers. She moaned quietly as he drove himself deep within her, again and again, alive with the gratification of the moment. They were animals, wild and free in the night, doing whatever they pleased, following their chosen path to its inevitable, glorious conclusion.

"Happy New Year, angel," he growled into her ear, still pulsing with release inside of her.

Just as Leah was about to reply, they both noticed the telltale approach of feet crunching in the leaves.

"Two guesses who those footsteps belong to," Leah said, slightly out of breath. "Let's have a little fun with them. If we're going to get busted, we might as well be bad asses about it." She could fell Severus' smile against her temple.

Scarcely moving a muscle, Severus and Leah both concentrated their gazes in the direction the footsteps came from, and less than a moment later, Fred and George came into view.

"Good evening, gentlemen," Severus said in a lordly voice. "Something we can do for you?"

Fred and George looked to each other helplessly, speechless at what they saw. They had eagerly taken Charlie's bait and hoped to catch Professor Snape and Leah doing something illicit, but the blunt reality of the scene rendered them silent. Fred and George both shook their heads no.

"Well then, I suggest you leave us," Leah said, giving them a wink and turning her attention back to Severus, playfully biting his earlobe. Her voice did not hold one ounce of malice or threat. Leah was proud of what she was doing, and she made it crystal clear.

Fred and George bolted as fast as their legs would carry them leaving Severus and Leah shaking with silent laughter. She released her legs from around him and fell back to Earth, a moon out of its orbit. The second her stilettos made contact with the ground, she felt shorn. Leah spent years as her own planet, and now she wished for nothing more than to fall into permanent orbit around Severus. Immediately, Leah chastised herself for such dependent thoughts and went about straightening herself.

After Severus performed a quick cleansing charm on them both, Leah picked up her torn lace panties and held them out to him. "Unless you want to find these for sale in Fred and George's shop, you might want to pocket them for me. I don't seem to have anywhere to put them in this outfit."

"Removing the evidence? That's my girl," he said proudly as they started back toward the house. "It's going to be difficult to keep my hands off of you knowing what garments you are lacking."

"You lack that same garment every day, commando. How do you think I feel?"

"Yes, but I'm not wearing a dress, a rather short one at that."

"I guess you'll just have to keep a close eye on me."

Severus stopped suddenly and turned his head, listening to something unseen.

"What is it?" she whispered.

Severus took her hand, and she followed him further into the orchard in a different direction. Up ahead, another couple was engaged in the very same activity they had just completed…a girl with long, ginger hair and a man with mussed, almost-black hair.

"Is that…" Leah whispered, not needing to say any more.

Severus nodded again and promptly led her back toward the party. When they were out of earshot of the other couple, he stopped and turned to her. "You know Fred and George have told everyone about what they saw. Are you all right with that? Something tells me you are."

"That's sweet of you, but I'm fine with it. I know it probably bothers you more than me, but you know, there are worse rumors that could be spread. For a guy, I can't really think of anything more flattering than being caught in _flagrante delicto_ with a temptress such as myself." Leah winked and paused for a moment in thought.. "And it's actually not _that_ risqué. We _are_ newlyweds. If everyone starts applauding when we walk in, we'll just take a bow."

"Agreed."

_**Soundtrack Entry #29 – Closer – Nine Inch Nails  
**_

* * *

_** Author's Note: **More Burrow to come next chapter...hope you enjoyed the first part! I came across a quote this week by Charles Morgan that reminded me of this story. "There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved." **  
**It struck a chord with me since I think that surprise is one of the more dominant emotions Severus must feel at his situation. As always, a huge thank you to my readers and reviewers! -MK**  
**_


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

Severus and Leah stepped onto the terrace, easily mixing back in with the party, and much to Severus' comfort, there was no applause. Leah spotted Fred and George through the kitchen window talking with Molly and excused herself to go to them. She lingered in the doorway, eavesdropping on the conversation, just out of sight.

"Well, boys, if you wouldn't sneak up on people, you might not see such things. I don't feel sorry for you in the least," she heard Molly say. Despite what she heard, Leah felt the need to speak to Molly and apologize.

Casually stepping through the doorway to announce her presence, Leah said, "Fred, George! I have been _so_ looking forward to seeing you two again." This time the twins were able to find their voices.

"The pleasure is ours, Leah," George said as Fred chimed in. "Yes, it was a _great_ pleasure to run into you earlier _in the orchard_."

"Yes, that _was_ fun, wasn't it," Leah said, noticing Molly's amusement. She was relived to know that her hostess was not angry at the liberties she had taken. She looked directly at the twins, holding them captive and deliberately running her hands over her hips and onto her thighs as she said, "Forbidden fruit can be _deliciously_ sweet."

Fred and George saw that Leah was just as brash as they hoped, but since she was now off the market, they tried to hide their interest and excused themselves when they saw their sister and Harry wave to them from the terrace.

Alone with Molly, Leah said seriously, "I imagine they told you what they saw." Molly nodded, grinning and blushing slightly. "I hope you're not angry with Severus and me."

"Of course not," she said calmly. "I have seven children, Leah, several of whom were conceived in that very orchard. Arthur and I are _quite_ familiar with its lure." Molly blushed even harder and reached to push open the kitchen window. "Is it hot in here?" she asked, with a wink.

Before Leah could reply with something incredibly unladylike, she was interrupted by the approach of footsteps on the tile behind her.

"Oh, Ginny! Come and meet Leah," Molly said urging her daughter forward.

Leah turned and found herself face to face with the girl she saw in orchard, her ginger hair immediately identifying her as a Weasley.

"Hi, Leah. It's nice to meet you. Mum tells me that you're the only daughter in a large family, too. We should have dinner some time and commiserate." Ginny had a musical voice and a genuine smile, and Leah liked her immediately.

"That would be nice. I'm just getting to know everyone, but I already feel like we have a lot in common." _'Especially this evening,' _Leah thought to herself.

"Why don't you go and introduce Leah to Harry and Ron?" Molly suggested.

"I'd love to meet your brother, and I have to say, I _am_ curious about the _famous_ Harry Potter. I heard all about him at school," Leah said as she draped Severus' robe over the back of a chair and followed Ginny outside.

"Yeah, I bet you did. He and Ron have been best mates since they started Hogwarts together."

"So I hear. Your brother looks like he's enjoying himself," Leah said, noticing him talking animatedly with Harry.

"His girlfriend is out of town and he's having a bit of a boy's night," Ginny said, inserting herself into their conversation. "Aren't you, Ron?"

"You could say that. Harry and I were just speculating about something, care to join in?"

"Sure. This is Leah, the one mum mentioned, Headmistress McGonagall's niece," Ginny said as Leah extended her hand to Ron.

"I've been looking forward to meeting the rest of y'all, ever since I met your mum that day in Diagon Alley. And you must be Harry."

"Yeah, so you're McGonagall's niece, huh? Remus mentioned you earlier and said that he would introduce me. He was telling me you grew up as a muggle, too."

"Yup. I definitely prefer magic. So, what were you speculating about?"

Ron's face perked up and he leaned in close. "We were wondering what Snape was doing here. Definitely up to something, that one."

"What makes you say that?" Leah asked innocently.

"You know him, right? Being at Hogwarts and all, you know what a git he is," Harry said casually.

"Oh, yeah. I'm quite familiar with what a git he can be. So, what do think he's up to?" Leah asked, leaning in like a co-conspirator.

"Not sure, but it must be good. He looks really pleased with himself," Ron said, obviously annoyed that Snape was having a good night.

"Leave the poor guy alone, Ron, maybe he's in love," Ginny offered as she casually glanced at Harry.

Harry and Ron broke into riotous laughter at her comment, momentarily drawing everyone's attention. Severus noticed Leah standing with them with her back to him, hands on her hips, silent. Excusing himself from his conversation with Minerva, he slowly approached and stood behind Leah, casting a shadow over their circle. The laughter stopped. Ron and Harry glared, hackles raised.

Leah felt her dark horse behind her and was not surprised when his hands slid around her waist, pulling her to him. Unconsciously closing her eyes at his scent and his touch, she laced her fingers with his and pulled his arms around her, turning her head enough to steal a slow kiss from his lips.

Severus enjoyed the sweet, petty victory of the moment as Harry and Ron gawked at their exhibition. Ginny was clearly surprised, but smiled triumphantly at her correct assessment of the situation.

"Potter, Weasleys, I see you've met my wife." Severus spoke slowly, savoring each syllable.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said without realizing it. Ginny promptly smacked him on the back of the head as Fred and George joined the circle.

"Evening, Professor, Leah," Fred said cheerily, elbowing George. "What a lovely night! Just perfect for a romantic stroll in the _orchard_, don't you think?"

"Indeed it is," Severus replied, not backing down, staring into Fred's eyes with a cold, hard menace before turning to Harry and arching his brow. Leah felt Severus take in a breath to speak again and she promptly stepped on his foot to stop him. Fear rushed through Ginny as she noticed what was going on, and she met Leah's eyes with sincere thanks.

The tension was thick when Arthur appeared, passing out glasses of champagne.

"Here, Arthur, let me help you with that," Leah said, letting go of Severus to take several glasses and hand them around the circle. "To a new year…_and a new leaf_," she toasted, raising her glass, smiling warmly and significantly at everyone, including Severus. Unable to escape, everyone nodded and drank before scattering to join other conversations.

"That was fun," Leah said, partly serious, partly sarcastic, when she and Severus stood alone at the edge of the terrace.

"It was, but I do _not_ understand why you insisted on protecting Potter."

"I wasn't. I couldn't give a flying fart in space about _him_. It was Ginny I was protecting. I didn't want you implicating _her_ in any impropriety at _her parent's house_. As I said earlier, things like that reflect favorably on men, but not on women."

"_You_ weren't afraid to be implicated in _our_ impropriety."

"Yes, but I have my pass right here," Leah said, holding up her left hand. "Molly knows."

"I figured she did when I saw you talking with her. She looked tolerant and rather entertained," Severus said, regarding her with a wicked smile.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Leah said it casually, yet her words were laced with a quiet significance that was not lost on Severus.

Midnight came quickly and the Snapes soon found themselves ignoring everyone else and sharing a rather shameless kiss at the edge of the terrace. Leah's leg was wound around Severus' calf in the dark shade of the tree behind him. "Why don't you take me home so we can begin our life of debauchery?"

A low, hungry growl was Severus' reply as he took her hand and led her toward their host and hostess to thank them and say goodbye. Molly and Arthur thanked them for coming and again offered their congratulations.

Going to fetch Severus' robe from the kitchen chair where she laid it earlier, Leah nearly ran over someone as she turned the corner. She instinctively reached for the hand of whoever it was in apology and found herself facing Ginny Weasley. The two shared a long, meaningful look.

"Leah, thank you for what you did. I really do hope we can get together some time, just the two of us. I think we'd have a lot to discuss."

"I feel sure we would. And you're _very_ welcome. Severus and Harry may have their baggage, but it has nothing to do with you." Leah squeezed her hand before she turned to go. "Happy New Year, Ginny."

* * *

Severus woke in his bed with a face full of auburn locks. Stretching elegantly, he wrapped his arms around his wife, eliciting a soft moan. 

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily. "Without windows, it's hard to tell."

"Feels late," he said fumbling for his watch on bedside table. "2:40"

"In the afternoon? Damn. The train'll be here in a couple of hours," Leah grumbled, rubbing her eyes before a slow grin occupied her lips. "I have an idea."

* * *

Severus and Leah strolled nonchalantly down the deserted fifth floor corridor; Leah was humming to herself, the song familiar to her husband. He led her to the correct door and spoke the password, "Godliness". 

Leah did not notice Severus bolt the door shut behind them. She was much too busy staring in amazement at the room before her. Noticing Leah's appreciation for a hot bath and a few quiet moments of peace, Marian had told her about the absolute luxury of the Prefect's bathroom, but Leah had never been inside before now.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Severus asked, turning on the jeweled taps to release their hot water and bubbles.

Leah nodded as she slowly picked up two of the fluffiest white towels she had ever seen from the large pile in the corner and set them at the side of the swimming pool sized tub. The white marble gleamed in the glow of the enormous candlelit chandelier while she shed her black Aerosmith tee shirt and jeans.

Severus watched Leah take in the beauty of her surroundings, silently thanking Kingsley for his use of the Felix Felicis. He appreciated the irony of the situation; he was there, with Leah as his wife, and it was partly due to the effects of a potion. Leah slipped silently into the water as Severus turned off the taps.

"I love you," she said intensely when he joined her. Severus smiled as she swam toward him. "I mean it. I really, really love you."

"I know," he said, sober as a stone. "It gives me hope."

"Hope for what?"

"That I can live up to your expectations. You flatter me to think that I am good and honorable when I know that it is not in my nature to be either."

Leah pulled Severus to her letting her hands roam, exploring him. "It just so happens that I have a great deal of faith in you, Severus Snape, and I know exactly what you're capable of. Your dark side makes me shiver, in a _good_ way. You forget, I never wanted a knight on a white horse. I wanted my _dark_ horse. I wanted you." Leah pushed him roughly over to the side of the tub and onto the marble seat beneath the surface of the water, settling herself just above his lap, purposely teasing him. Her mouth was hot and insistent at his ear when she whispered her command. "Now, make me shiver."

_**Soundtrack Entry #30 – In Her Eyes – Josh Groban  
**_

* * *

_** Author's Note: **So, if any of you have been waiting, here's Harry. I couldn't care less about him, but didn't want Severus to miss out on his moment. ;) Only three chapters left and now I'm really starting to get sad. Luckily, Eclipse came out last week and Edward and Jacob are doing their best to comfort me! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I only have one thing to say to you. Get thyself to the bookstore and purchase Twlight, New Moon and Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. They are beyond delicious despite originating from the Young Adult section..._

_ As always, huge thanks to my readers and reviewers! -MK  
_


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60**

"Which would you prefer? Basic black or the green?" Leah asked, holding up the two robes.

"The green," Severus replied.

Leah studied herself in the mirror after donning the dark green robe. "Maybe this Slytherin thing won't be so bad. Green is a good color for me."

"Well, as long it suits your complexion."

"Severus, the sooner you realize it's all about me, the better off you'll be." If he was going to dish it out, so would she.

"I am well aware of your requirements, woman," he said, offering his arm.

Leah stepped back to admire her husband. Severus was dressed in his usual formal black attire and robe, and the realization that he belonged solely to her took her breath away.

Noticing her evaluation, he asked, amused, "Would you like me to tie my hair back?"

"I care not, whatever makes you comfortable. What are your responsibilities this evening? Is there anything I can help you with?" Leah asked, taking his arm to make their way upstairs to the Great Hall.

"I will need to make sure that everyone gets settled back into their dormitories, and of course, I will want to officially introduce you to my house in our common room after dinner."

"So, am I like a den mother now?"

"A what?"

"You know, like in the Boy Scouts. I guess you weren't a scout, huh?" she said, searching her mental rolodex for another example. "OK, you must have read Peter Pan. Like Wendy, for the Lost Boys?"

Severus stared, aghast, like she suddenly had two heads. "I am not sure what you expect here in Slytherin House, but we are not all _warm and fuzzy_ like they are in Gryffindor Tower. There are _no_ Kumbaya sing-alongs."

"Watch it," she snapped, throwing off his arm. "You may have all the jerks, but they are still _children_. Tough love doesn't always work. May I remind you that it was one of _your own_ who nearly killed me last month?" Leah marched defiantly ahead, her footfalls echoing off the stone.

Sighing heavily, Severus realized that she was right. He was not always sure what to do with members of his house who had problems or needed special attention. "Leah, stop," he commanded imperiously as she reached the steps to the entrance hall.

"Eat me!"

"Please." Leah stopped on the stairs, shocked by his revised request, and turned to look expectantly at him. Severus was finding new uses for his recently expanded manners, and he had to admit, they were serving him well thus far. "I don't want to argue with you. All I am saying is that you will find my…_our_ Slytherins very different from what you are used to. Perhaps I _could_ use your skills. I cannot deny the effect you have had on me."

"Alright, I guess that's _close enough_ to an apology," Leah said, giving him a tepid smile and taking his arm once again. "Come on, your public awaits."

* * *

Most of the students had already taken their seats in the Great Hall when the professors began filing in through the side door. Leah and Severus had broken their news to most of the other professors during the week, but they had yet to see Kingsley. She had hoped to see him at the Burrow for New Years Eve, but he wasn't there, and now he was not in the Staff Room either. Leah wanted to tell Kingsley herself about her marriage; he was her friend, and the last thing she wanted was for him to hear about it from Minerva in her announcements. Time was running out. 

The students were all talking in their little groups, and hardly anyone noticed when Professor Snape walked through the side door with Leah on his arm. She looked out at the sea of students trying to find Marian and Charlie, and after several sweeps, she spotted them. The Great Hall looked like a foreign country from the staff table. Leah was overwhelmed with the sheer number of students to faculty, and she found herself incredibly intimidated as Severus pulled out her chair for her.

Minerva had taken extra care to make sure there was a seat for Leah in between Severus and Kingsley. Looking at Kingsley's empty seat, Leah suddenly wondered if everything was all right.

"I am sure he's fine," Severus said, noting her concern. "I know you wanted to tell him in person." He found himself, surprisingly, not angered by his wife's concern about finding Kingsley. Leah chose _him_, without reservation, and this information bolstered his ego. Although, Severus was not sure if his feelings would change once Kingsley was actually in their presence.

Leah decided to sidestep the subject; she did not want her husband thinking she was more concerned with Kingsley than with him. "Do you want to kiss me right now as much as I want to kiss you?" she whispered.

Severus smiled reservedly and nodded in reply.

Minerva stood to call everyone to order and make her announcements just as Leah grabbed Severus' leg under the table.

"Good evening to you all. I trust that everyone had an enjoyable holiday. I am very pleased to welcome you all back for the spring term, and I have two announcements before we begin the feast. No doubt, you will all remember my niece, Leah Manning, from last term. She has been promoted to the position of Divination apprentice and will be in training with Professor Trelawney this term. She has a new title along with this position, which I hope you will use to address her, and _that _brings me to my second announcement. Rather than addressing her as Mistress Manning, you will all address her as _Mistress Snape_," Minerva said, expecting an outcry of some sort. None came. In fact, the Great Hall was filled with a hard silence. "It gives me _great_ pleasure to tell you that our own Professor Snape and Miss Manning were married over the break. I know you will all want to join me in congratulating them."

Severus and Leah stood as Minerva turned to regard them, clapping along with the other professors. More claps joined in as the information slowly sunk into everyone's brains, some merely polite and others enthusiastic. Marian stood to get a better look at the pair, clapping wildly, while Charlie sat motionless and flabbergasted. Slytherin House, whose reaction was tentative at first, stood cheering and clapping for their head of house. Severus knew they might not be quick to embrace his wife, a former Gryffindor, but they would never let _him_ down.

The Snapes were incredibly amused with the reaction they received, and Leah was glad Severus' house came through with an appropriate response. She knew how important they were to him and was hoping for exactly what they produced.

"And now, let's eat." Minerva clapped as she always did to reveal the feast, and slowly, everyone tucked in. Once the roar of conversation started, it was hard for anyone to hear themselves think.

Leah noticed that Charlie barely ate or spoke during dinner, and she knew she would have to talk with him afterward. Always attentive to what Leah needed, Severus took her hand. "He'll be alright. Perhaps you should talk with him in private after dinner. I imagine you will want to talk with Marian as well."

"Will you excuse me for a minute?" she asked, when she saw Charlie get up and leave the Great Hall. Leah did not wait for a reply, standing and walking as quickly as she could out the side door.

"Charlie, wait!" she called up the main staircase after him.

"Leah, this has _got _to be a joke! Oh, sorry, Mistress _Snape_, I mean."

"I know you're mad at me for not telling you, and even for denying it, but I couldn't tell _anyone_. You were the _only one_ who saw it. Well, you and Penelope. Charlie, come on…"

"Is everything alright out here?" she heard Kingsley's deep voice ask. She immediately turned, relieved to see him and grateful to have some back up. "Severus says you have something to tell me that can't wait."

"She's married," Charlie blurted out angrily before turning his back on her and shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I guess I had that coming," Leah said to no one in particular, shaking her head. "Kingsley, Severus proposed to me after I got out of St. Mungo's, and we were married over Christmas."

"Congratulations."

"Do you mean it?" she asked on the verge of tears.

Kingsley nodded. "He makes you happy. I could see that in the hospital, even though I wanted you for myself."

Charlie wheeled around to face Leah again. "So, I was right about _both_ of them?"

"_Yes, Charlie_. You were right. I did my best to deny it and hide it and you were _still_ right. Does that make you happy? Professor Snape and I are _in love_." She said the last part because she knew it would shut him up. "So, are we friends again?"

After an extensive study of the floor, Charlie extended his hand to her. Leah ignored his hand and pulled him into a hug. "I've still got your back," she whispered in his ear.

"Can I get in on some of that action?" Kingsley asked, reaching out to her when she released Charlie. "I _really_ am happy for you. _Both_ of you."

"Thank you, Kingsley. You're very important to me," she said, wrapping her arms around him in profound relief.

"Come on, Charlie. Let's walk this _Slytherin_ back in to dinner."

Leah rolled her eyes as she linked arms with them to re-enter the Great Hall.

Severus stood when he saw her come through the main door with Kingsley and Charlie. Leah knew he was wondering how her chat went and she nodded at him to ease his mind.

Back at the staff table, Severus accepted Kingsley's congratulations as Marian approached to offer hers.

"Mistress Snape, Professor Snape, may I offer my felicitations as well?" Marian asked primly from the across the staff table.

"Thank you, Marian. Leah would not be here this evening if it were not for your assistance, and I thank you, sincerely, for her life." Severus' voice was weighty, but calm as he spoke.

Marian was affected by his words and their genuineness. They confirmed what she already knew, that Leah would be looked after with the utmost care.

"Marian," Leah said, reaching across the table to take her hand. "Could we have tea this weekend? Saturday afternoon, maybe? As you have probably guessed, Professor Snape and I will be taking up residence in his quarters. We could meet there if you like."

"That would be great, but maybe we should meet on _neutral ground_. I wouldn't want you and the Slytherins to get off on the wrong foot." Marian looked to Professor Snape for back-up. She knew that Leah would now have to begin the arduous task of earning their trust, and they could be a very suspicious lot. It would not help matters if she was seen consorting with them enemy.

"I think that's wise, Marian. Perhaps Kingsley will let you use his office?"

"What about my office?" Kingsley asked absently. Arriving late, his attention was on his dinner and the short time in which he had to eat it.

"Could Marian and I have tea in your office on Saturday afternoon? She was thinking it might not be smart for us to have "girl time" in Slytherin territory, since I have to win them over."

"Sure, as long as you promise not to reveal any of our Gryffindor secrets to the _other side_."

Leah put her hand over her heart. "I will take them to the grave, but I don't think you have much to worry about. From what I have gathered, Slytherin is grossly misinformed on what takes place in Gryffindor Tower," she said, giving Severus a sideways look.

_**Soundtrack Entry #31 – Back In Black – AC/DC**_


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61**

Severus suspected that his wife was nervous, but if she was, she gave no indication of it. Strolling casually into the Slytherin common room on her husband's arm, Leah was the picture of cool confidence. She had no idea how this was going to go, but kept telling herself that she could handle whatever they could dish out.

Slytherin's common room was significantly larger than Gryffindor's and was rectangular in shape. The stone walls were covered in tapestries and portraits just as in most of the other rooms of the castle, but the furnishings were remarkably different. Leah easily imagined it being featured on an episode of MTV's _Cribs_. Everything looked very sleek and overpriced…lots of black leather, glass and graphite. Hip, yet uncomfortable, but too cool to care.

Naturally, the Slytherins all crowded into their common room immediately after dinner, hoping for an explanation. There was much talk following the Headmistress' announcement at their table; some were happy for their Head of House, others curious about how it had happened and still others with their minds already set against Mrs. Snape, certain that she would betray them. In addition, the tale of Penelope's attack was still fresh on everyone's mind upon their return to school and curiosity ran high.

Hardly anyone had seen Professor Snape since dinner on the evening of the attack and they hoped to receive the facts from him. Everyone in Slytherin house knew of Penelope's obsession, but they never considered her capable of what she did. She had friends, but they were few in number, and even they had not heard from Penelope since her parents came to collect her.

Standing by one of two large, elaborately carved stone fireplaces, Severus fully understood what a monumental task Leah had ahead of her, and he decided to help her all he could. Squeezing her hand before releasing it, he stepped forward to address his house.

"Good evening. First, I will thank you for your response in the Great Hall. I regret that there was not time before the feast to tell you all myself of my marriage and formally _re_introduce you to my wife. As you all know, Slytherin House _is_ my home, and I take my role here very seriously. Second, I am sure that you are all worried about a former _Gryffindor_ joining our ranks. I have assured Mistress Snape that you will do your best not to hold her former allegiance against her, and I expect _all_ of you to treat her with the same respect you would show me. Let me be _very_ clear. I have chosen _her_, and I take it as my duty to protect her with the same ferocity that I would any of you. Last, I wish to address the absence of Miss Wilder. No doubt, you are all aware of her unfortunate behavior leading to her suspension. No one regrets this more than Mistress Snape and I do. I know you are all wondering, so I will tell you now that the rumors are true. Miss Wilder very nearly killed another student, and had I been in Headmistress McGonagall's place, I would have handed down the same punishment. _Who_ she attacked did not have any bearing on her consequences."

Leah stood still and silent, watching her husband as he spoke, stealing occasional glances at the Slytherins. She noticed that hardly anyone moved a muscle while their Head of House spoke. It was crystal clear to her that Severus was not used to defiance; he ruled absolutely, with complete arrogance, and she found herself eating it up.

"Now, I believe that Mistress Snape wishes to address you," Severus said, turning his attention to his wife. He had no idea what she was going to say, and was nervous for her.

Leah wore a politely defiant look as she began to speak. "I know it was only a few weeks ago that I was a student, attending classes with some of you, and while my roles are very different now, I assure you that I am _still _a student of magic. I have much to learn, and I hope that you will help me along the way. I want you to know that I will always do _everything_ I can to help _you_, should you need it. Although I did spend a term as a Gryffindor, my unwavering loyalty now lies with my husband, and with all of you."

"Indeed," Severus said quietly, turning to face his students. "If there is nothing else, then we will bid you goodnight."

Everyone began talking to each other at once as two students, who Leah recognized as the Slytherin prefects, approached. The young lady was tall with long, tawny hair and hawk-like, light brown eyes; the young man was somewhat shorter and stocky with mahogany hair that matched his eyes. Both regarded Leah with respectful skepticism.

"Professor Snape, our congratulations on your marriage," the young man said, extending his hand.

Severus accepted the gesture and thanked him before formally introducing them. "Leah, may I present Michael North and Gina Hampstead, our Slytherin prefects."

"It's a pleasure to officially meet you." Leah wasn't sure how familiar to be or how much to express. This was a very stiff group, and she was used to hugging people in congratulations, rather than shaking hands.

In a surprising show of support, Gina did something with her face that must have been meant as a smile (either that or she had severe gas pain) as Michael and Severus began to talk. In truth, she looked rather tortured, but Leah appreciated her effort. "Mistress Snape," Gina began, turning to put some distance between them and the boys. "I want you to know that I will do what I can to encourage the members of this house to accept you. As many of us did, I noticed the change in Professor Snape last term, and I speak for most of us when I say that we respect him far more than we care what house you came from."

"Thank you, Gina. I won't let y'all down. Slytherin means the world to Professor Snape, and I would never want to cause trouble within his house." Leah spoke earnestly, trying not to smile at Gina's sentiments.

* * *

Back in their quarters, Leah breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped herself into the leather chair by the fireplace. 

"Shall I draw you a hot bath?" Severus asked, amused. "You've earned it."

"Yes, please. How do you think I did?"

"Only time will tell for sure, but I would wager that you did rather well. Gina smiled at you, and that speaks volumes." Severus' voice trailed around the corner and echoed off the walls of their large, green-tiled bathroom.

"So that _was_ a smile…I wasn't sure. What were you and Michael talking about?" Leah called as the water ran.

Severus poked his head through the doorway. "My good fortune."

"Nice. So, I'm a piece of ass now, am I?"

"I didn't say that, you did. They're teenagers, you know where their minds are. You would have been pleased. He was entirely respectful, since he knows better than to speak crassly about my wife in my presence."

"Speaking of that, how long do you think it will be before the orchard incident makes its way to school? That ought to enhance your street cred…and mine."

"A gentleman does not care about such things." Leah thought it was cute the way he was trying to sound aloof.

"Well, next time I see one, I'll be sure to let you know," she sassed. "I much prefer my scoundrel."

* * *

Lightening cracked and sizzled across the sky as Marian approached Kingsley's office on Saturday afternoon. She found the door open and the room lit with candles, the darkness outside making them a necessity. 

"I know. It looks like a séance in here, doesn't it?" Leah laughed, pouring herself a cup of tea and smiling.

"Either that or a very romantic date," Marian replied.

"I'm not sure how Kingsley would feel about you and me making out in his office, although he _might _want to watch," Leah said arching an eyebrow.

"I see Slytherin is already rubbing off on you." Marian took her seat and reached for the cream. "Although you always were kind of sick."

"I much prefer the term 'twisted'. It suggests that my mental illness is somewhat artful. And yes, I'm embracing as much Slytherin as I can handle, but I've always had a dirty mind. Speaking of that, how was New Years Eve with Gray?"

Marian leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, sighing as thunder rolled heavily through the sky, rattling the windows. Wringing her hands in her lap and looking rather afflicted, she peeked up at Leah. "How do you know if you're in love?"

"That good, huh? It's hard to say, Mare. You just know." Leah shrugged casually when Marian made an exasperated face. "Alright, I know that doesn't help you. It's different for everybody, but I'll tell you how _I_ knew." Leah held up her pinky and regarded Marian seriously. Marian nodded in acceptance and made the sacred oath, linking pinkies with Leah.

"I'm not afraid to give up control to him."

There was a long silence as Marian processed the information. "So, it's all about sex?"

"Not at all, you misunderstand me," Leah said gently, shaking her head. "You know me. I'm always in control. I recognize that I, alone, am responsible for my own happiness. But no matter how hard I might try, I can't be in control all the time. It's exhausting." Leah leaned across the table for emphasis as she revealed her secrets. "From the _very first moment_ I met Severus, something strange happened to me that had never happened before. I was happy to follow his lead. He fascinated me, and somehow I knew he had my best interests at heart. Now, I don't mean he drags me around by the hair, telling me what to do and how to do it, but he knows what I need. And he always manages to give it to me, even if he has to _fight_ me to do it. When I need to be in control, he encourages it. When I need him to be in control, he is. Like everybody, we have our share of problems, but we do our best to get it right." Leah let out a slight laugh. "That doesn't sound very romantic, does it?"

"No, but I think I see what you mean. You release each other to be the people you want to be. I don't think anyone had ever seen this new side of Professor Snape, including himself, until you came into the picture. It sounds like he does the same thing for you."

Leah nodded softly before her expression turned wicked. "_And_ we can hardly keep our hands off each other. Never underestimate the power of chemistry."

Marian and Leah were still talking and laughing when they were interrupted by a knock at the door just before 6:00.

"Ladies, I hate to intrude, but it's almost time to go down to dinner," Kingsley said, looking strangely around the room.

"Oh! I completely lost track of the time," Marian said, jumping from her seat. "I want to run freshen up before dinner."

"Go get gorgeous for him," Leah called, waving goodbye.

Once Marian was out of earshot, Kingsley gave Leah a sideways glance. "Feeling romantic lately?"

"I knew you'd have to make a smart comment. I know I got a little crazy with the candles, but it was dark in here because of the storm. Don't worry, I'll tidy up."

"That's not _all_ I was referring to. I ran into Fred and George in Diagon Alley." Kingsley pursed his lips to hold in his laugh.

"And?" Leah said holding his gaze, her eyes threatening.

"And they had _quite_ a tale to tell," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "They said you were unapologetic about it then, too. Not that I'm surprised."

If Kingsley was going to call her out, Leah would answer.

"What can I say?" she asked innocently, biting on the tip of her index finger as her eyes smoldered. Leah stood across the room from Kingsley and began to approach him slowly, holding his gaze captive with hers. "Surely you're familiar with the story of the _serpent_ tempting Eve with the apple. Not every girl gets her _own_ serpent…to have and to hold."

"Bugger me! I'm not going anywhere near that," Kingsley replied, raising his hands in a truce.

* * *

Leah strolled into dinner with Severus a short while later, sitting down next to Kingsley. 

"Evening, Kingsley," she said sweetly. "Thanks again for letting us use your office earlier. Marian and I had a nice time."

"I'm glad. You're welcome to use it again if you like." Kingsley unfolded his napkin and paused a moment before saying, "Hey, Leah, we're having your favorite for dessert tonight. _Apple Pie_."

"Yummy. Severus and I love forbidden fruit. Don't you, darling?"

Severus casually looked over to Kingsley and nodded with an arched brow.

* * *

Late Sunday morning, Minerva sat at her desk sifting through a tedious pile of post when there was a knock at her door. 

"Aunt Minerva, do you have a few minutes?"

"Of course. I was rather hoping for an interruption," she said, smiling. "What can I help you with?"

"I wondered if you would teach me a couple of spells. Severus' birthday is Tuesday, and I had something specific in mind. Nothing elaborate, but I need some help to do it myself."

"I see."

"I'm really looking forward to continuing my lessons with the other professors in the evenings, but it would be a bit obvious what I was planning to whomever I asked. Since I know how discreet you are, I thought I would come to you."

Minerva let out a quiet, girlish giggle from behind her fingertips. "Leah, I will be glad to help you however I can, but I think we should begin with Colloportus."

"Good call," Leah replied, winking.

* * *

Leah practiced furiously to get down the spells Minerva taught her in time. She took advantage of every spare minute, using empty classrooms when she could to keep Severus from catching her. 

Tuesday morning, Leah opened her eyes to find her husband wide awake, watching her with a strange expression.

"Happy birthday, darling," Leah drawled, taking his hand. "Are you alright?"

"You know, I am going to die long before you."

"Good morning to you, too, sunshine. Want some cheese with that whine?" Leah traced Severus' brow with her index finger and trailed her finger down his cheek. "I am well aware of our ages, and they do not concern me in the least. We have many years together, and I am looking forward to each and every one of them."

"If I hadn't wasted so much time, I could have found you sooner."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" she asked, hoping her husband was not riddled with some obscure disease.

"No, just bemoaning the obvious."

"Well, quit it. _I_ want you to have a nice birthday, even if _you_ don't. Besides, I have a petite birthday surprise for you this evening. Can you _not_ die before then?"

"I suppose so."

* * *

The day seemed to stretch into weeks. Severus felt like he spent the entire time putting out fires. He hardly saw Leah at all, and on top of that, he was already pouting about being a year older. He was not a fan of birthdays. 

Leah sent word just before dinner that she was working late on something with Professor Trelawney and would catch up with him afterward. Sitting down to dinner in the large hall bustling with activity, Severus felt alone.

"So, where's Mrs. Snape this evening?" Kingsley asked, joining him at the table.

"Working," he replied absently.

"You OK?"

"If you must know, today is my birthday."

"Oh. And you have nothing to celebrate?" Kingsley said, earning an odd look from Severus. "Do you know what _I_ would do if I were you?"

"Enlighten me."

"I wouldn't waste one more second moping about things you can't change. You have more than most people ever dream of having. If _I_ had a beautiful wife who loved me in spite of the fact that I was insufferable, I wouldn't be whining like a mule. But that's just me...of course, you always were a stubborn arse," Kingsley said, before casually turning to his dinner.

Properly put in his place, Severus sat quietly, picking at his food. He knew Kingsley was right, and that _really_ got under his skin. His mind roamed to his Leah and her surprise.

Severus stood to excuse himself, and as he did, Minerva was immediately behind him. "Severus, may I ask where you're going?"

"To find my wife."

"Oh, no, you're not. You will sit right here in this chair until at least 6:45," she replied, trying to look stern, but not quite managing it. Severus glared at her, but did as he was bidden, feeling like a tool. He was not pleased that Leah had involved Minerva in whatever it was that she was up to, but he couldn't help smiling at the thought of what awaited him.

Kingsley overheard their exchange and his laughter rang out, rich and joyous, over the din in the Great Hall.

At the stroke of 6:45, Severus stood and gave Minerva a slight bow before he headed for the door.

"Happy birthday, Severus," Kingsley called after him.

Severus did not turn around as he stalked away, flipping an impatient bird back at Kingsley from the doorway, out of the student's view. Kingsley's laughter pealed again, this time at Leah's unmistakable influence on her husband.

* * *

Standing at the door to his quarters, Severus took a cleansing breath before knocking. He would never have knocked at his own door, but keeping in mind what trouble his wife may have gone to for his surprise, he didn't want to ruin anything or catch her off guard. 

"Who is it?" he heard Leah's voice call, her words like a song.

"Professor Snape."

The door began to open before Severus could reach for the handle, and he stepped inside as music started to play.

Forty-nine tall, ivory candles floated in the air throughout the room, casting a sultry glow. Mrs. Snape stood by the crackling fireplace wearing only her Slytherin house scarf and holding her wand.

"Happy birthday," Leah said slowly as he approached her. Flicking her wand at the door, she performed the Colloportus spell to seal it shut. "I have been anxiously awaiting my Potions master."

"Have you?" he replied, impressed with her spell. The fire, the candles and the opening and closing of the door were all relatively simple spells in the realm of magic, but considering Leah's short time of study, he was proud. And then there was the music offering its sweet seduction. Severus could not see the source, but he guessed that it was coming from Leah's precious iPod. He saw her with it on several occasions in Charleston, and knew that she was frustrated that it would not work on the Hogwarts grounds. The obvious conclusion was that Minerva taught Leah the spell to make it work, Liberocantus. He was familiar with the song playing; everyone knew _I Put A Spell On You_, but he had never heard this particular version before. It was slower, smoother. Severus was immediately pulled from his thoughts as his wife approached him.

"Oh, yes. There's one potion in particular that I am _sorely_ in need of," she said, setting her wand on the mantle and letting her hands wander over her curves.

"I believe I can help you." Severus pulled Leah roughly into his arms, taking what he needed as she began to liberate him from his clothing. "You look particularly elegant this evening, angel. Serpentine, even, in your current attire."

"You look handsome as usual, but I had something much simpler in mind for you to wear this evening."

"And what might that be?"

"Me." She spoke the word slowly and deliberately, making sure he was helplessly tangled in her web. Leah wanted him to forget his concerns from their earlier conversation and lose himself in the moment. She succeeded.

Severus' hands found their way to Leah's backside and he lifted her, suddenly and effortlessly, to rest at his waist. Leah wrapped herself around his bare form as he carried her to the bed, consciously surrendering to her husband's slightest whim. He saw the change in her eyes and knew her will was one with his. Compliant, yet undiminished.

Leah waited for direction from her dark horse while he devoured her with a fiery gaze, her fair skin a lush contrast to the inky, black coverlet. Looking up at Severus from the soft velveteen of the bed, she cut her eyes at him submissively, tempting him beyond his realm of control.

The night sprawled itself out before them, exquisite and indulgent, and they reveled in its freedom. Again and again, Leah and Severus showed each other ecstasy so raw it hurt, the primal intersection of pleasure and delirium, until their nails clawed at the edge, fighting for each precious second they could spend at the brink before the inevitable fall. Their bodies weary with release, they focused what little energy was left on simply breathing in and out and holding onto each other's hand.

Severus knew he had no cause for lament. Kingsley was right; he had everything he ever hoped for and more than he could have dreamed. Severus knew what it meant to love and to trust another person, and he was richly rewarded for allowing himself to accept the same in return.

Leah turned to face him, studying his expression in wonder and feeling a tinge of déjà vu.

"What is it?" Severus asked softly.

"Your expression. You look just like you did when you arrived at the hotel for the gala. I'll never forget it. I was standing at the door and I saw you coming down the sidewalk toward me. You had this _relieved_ look on your face, like you had searched almost endlessly and finally found your way home."

Severus pulled Leah close, and with his mouth at her ear, he whispered, "I have."

_**Soundtrack Entry #32 – I Put A Spell On You – Queen Latifah**_

**The End  
**

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_**Author's Note: **Well, here it is...the last chapter! I'll post one more time on Thursday with the epilogue. Thanks for reading...leave me a review and let me know what you think. -MK  
_


	62. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Leah looked into the large, oval mirror in her former dormitory room and saw herself, once more, in her wedding gown. Wide shafts of sunlight streamed through the windows, lighting the room and giving their blessing to the day's events. Headmistress McGonagall, Tonks and Marian were all silent as Leah inspected her reflection without mercy. She smiled in approval of her decision to leave off the veil this time.

"Mare, would you open my jewelry case and hand me my earrings? They should be in one of the top compartments," Leah asked, pointing to the dark blue leather box on the bed.

Opening the clasp and lifting the lid, Marian found something curious. A letter address to Leah in red ink rested atop the earrings.

"Why don't you come over here and sit down? It looks like you have a little present," Marian said, holding up the letter.

Leah smirked when she turned and saw the scarlet handwriting.

* * *

Saturday, April 7, 2007 

Angel,

Tonight I am consumed with a mystery. The firelight dances over your glorious form as you sleep, and here I sit, studying you in awe. How did I get here?

I put you through much that I am not proud of, and yet, you never lost faith. You came for me time and time again, even when I did my best to push you away. What we will be doing in a few short hours steals my breath every time I think of it. It is my ultimate redemption, and I am humbled once again that you would not shy away from binding yourself to me.

You have always been here for me, even before I knew you in physical form. The mere shadow of you in my dreams comforted me for the better part of my life. It was a constant, solid and steady, during many years when my world slowly crumbled around me. When I found that you were real, tangible and not some cruel figment of my imagination, I felt my soul clawing its way back to the surface within me. Your mere existence filled me with long forbidden hope, and you proved to be much more than the desperate longings of a tainted soul. You are the promise fulfilled.

It is now my turn to be your anchor, your shelter. I love you more than I could ever say, and I endeavor now, to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.

Your Own,  
Severus

* * *

Leah took the linen handkerchief from Minerva's outstretched hand, squeaking a quick thank you as she dabbed at her eyes. 

"Alright there?" Tonks asked, handing Leah her earrings.

Leah cleared her throat and beamed. "Way beyond." After putting in her earrings, she stood and tucked the letter securely between her black sash and ivory dress. She turned to address Minerva and took her hand. "Thank you for doing this. It means the world us." Minerva nodded in reply and squeezed Leah's hand, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

The guests were seated in the courtyard, and Leah stood behind the closed doors, alone. She waited, still and silent, for the clock to strike eleven in the tower above. Hearing the first chime, Leah opened the doors. Everyone stood, watching with wistful expressions as she proceeded down the aisle to the music of the massive clock. Severus waited patiently for his bride, standing tall and proud.

When Leah reached her destination, the guests seated themselves on Minerva's cue. On either side of the aisle in several short rows were Remus and Tonks, Molly, Arthur and Ginny, Kingsley, Hagrid, Sibyll, Professors Flitwick and Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, Marian, Gray, Charlie, Michael and Gina; Filch lurked alone, watching from the corner of the courtyard with Mrs. Norris. And aligned with the chairs of the front row stood an easel bearing Albus' portrait from just outside the Great Hall, sunlight glimmering on its polished brass poles and knobs.

It was Easter Sunday, and while cherry blossoms waltzed on the breeze filling the courtyard with a kind of pale pink snow, Leah smiled peacefully at Severus as they knelt. She took his right hand in hers, lacing their fingers, palm to palm. Minerva stood and stepped forward from her seat, facing the couple and their guests with a sober expression to fill her role as their bonder.

Leah spoke first, reaching out to touch Severus' cheek with her left hand as the tip of Minerva's wand came to rest on their joined right hands. Just as Severus would, Leah recited her Unbreakable Vow from memory. "By the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, I take thee to my hand and my heart, to be my chosen one. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again."

A red, swirling tendril grew from Minerva's wand, wrapping itself around their hands. Severus noticed immediately that it did not burn as it had before. (He was concerned that it would and had warned Leah.) This time it was different. The bond was hot, but not caustic, and he did not have the immediate sense that he had sold his soul. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Leah winked at her husband as she dropped her hand from his face. It was now his turn to speak, and he did so flawlessly, taking his Unbreakable Vow with complete sincerity and decorum. "By the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, I take thee to my hand and my heart, to be my chosen one. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again."

A second tendril sprung from Minerva's wand, encircling Severus and Leah's hands with the first, giving off an iridescent brilliance. Focused solely on each other, they had forgotten about their guests, and were brought back to Earth when they heard Hagrid's sob. Looking up from the vermilion glow of their bond, Leah saw Molly hand him a handkerchief. She noticed Filch out of the corner of her eye swatting at the airborne cherry blossoms around him. She watched Remus bring Tonks' hand to his lips and Michael and Gina trying not to smile.

Minerva removed her wand from their hands and stepped back, smiling reservedly. "Blessed Be," she said. Severus watched Leah while she took in everything going on around them, enjoying the tender just as much as the mundane and delighting in everyone exactly as they were. He reached out to touch Leah's face as the light faded from their bond, bringing her eyes to meet his in silent joy.

_**Soundtrack Entry #33 – Fumbling Towards Ecstacy – Sarah McLachlin  
Soundtrack Entry #34 – Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo'ole**_**  
**

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Sources**  
Since most of my sources are websites, the system won't let me post them here. If you're interested in my source list, feel free to e-mail me, and I'll be glad to share it with you. _  


_**Song Lyrics **_  
_1. _"Come Away With Me"_ – Lyrics by Norah Jones_  
_2._ "Taking Over Me"_ – Lyrics by Amy Lee_

_**Acknowledgements**  
J.K. Rowling, thank you for creating Severus Snape and the world around him. You rock!_

_Vitraille, my oldest friend, editor and co-conspirator! Thanks for being so willing to share your expertise and listen to me ramble on constantly about the story. Really. I'm not sure I deserve your patience. Long live the dark horse!_

_Holly Ilex, I appreciate you more than you know! If you had not been so encouraging and supportive, Unbidden would still be in its infancy, abandoned on a flash drive. And again, you have my sincere thanks for allowing me to borrow your idea for the fate of Severus' parents. Genius!_

_Dearest reviewers, I adore you. You make me feel like Sally Field at the Oscars. You like me! You really like me!_

_Faithful readers, thank you for giving Unbidden a chance. I know how many gazillions of stories are out there, and I am honored that you took the time to read mine. If you've ever considered writing a story, do it! Start now! You just might surprise yourself…_

_Snape Lives!_

_MinnKota_


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